Balgarianovinite.com More than 220 locations, including pharmacies, drugstores, gyms, beauty salons, warehouses, and others, were inspected across the country during specialized raids conducted as part of the international operation PANGEA XVIII, an annual, INTERPOL-coordinated international crackdown on the online sale of counterfeit and illicit medicines and medical products. It was carried out with the cooperation of EU member states, Interpol, Europol, and the World Customs Organization, the General Directorate National Police (GDNP) announced on its website on Wednesday.
Earlier this month, authorities dismantled an illegal production facility in Sofia that was manufacturing counterfeit anabolic steroids, pharmaceuticals, and dietary supplements. A suspect was arrested, and four premises linked to the operation were identified. These sites were used to produce liquid formulations and tablets, as well as to fill ampoules and blister packs.
During the raids, officials seized more than 200 boxes and plastic containers holding over one million pills, along with numerous bags of raw materials used in the production of medicinal products. They also discovered ampoules containing liquid substances, glass vials filled with injectable solutions, and several machines used in tablet manufacturing.
A test purchase at a pharmacy in the capital revealed that prescription-only medications were being sold without requiring a valid prescription. Inspections indicated that these medicines had previously been distributed illegally in large quantities.
In Burgas, on Bulgaria’s Black Sea coast, inspections found pharmacies operating without a licensed pharmacist and selling expired medications. At a beauty salon in the same city, authorities uncovered supplies for injectable procedures, including factory-packaged needles, as well as botulinum toxin and dermal fillers, products that are prohibited for use outside a licensed medical setting or without proper certification.
Expired dietary supplements were found at a retail location in Ruse, Northeastern Bulgaria, on the Danube. More than 220 Pharmacies, Beauty Salons, Gyms, Warehouses Inspected Across Country in International Operation 2026 THE NEWS FROM BULGARIA – NEWS AGENCY 2009-2025 2026-03-25 15:30:00 Latest news World news Country news Most important news latest news most important latest of the day Justice Petar Nizamov Feathers Petar Nizamov- Feathers Justice bg iustitia.bg iustitia iusticia usticia investigation Burgas Bulgaria news news of the last hour news of the day news of today Bulgaria news The news from Bulgaria blitz news top news most important most commented latest news Boyko Borisov news weather coronavirus news news weather facebook youtube facebook instagram news today news of the last minutes news today today news news bg news leading news hot news bg news site for news all news news bg news of the last hour latest latest news bg news of today news today news today news of the last hour latest news today news bg news news 24 hours news vesti bg novini news world bird bg bivol bg bivol trud bg novini latest news today novinite bg news hello bulgaria political party coat of arms delyan peevski scandalous Bulgarian National Television Free Europe Television scandal exclusive live tv live right now tv tv online tv program bg live now tv news online tv online live court Burgas court Burgas district court Burgas court Burgas district court Burgas district court Burgas appellate court Burgas prosecutor Burgas prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Burgas district prosecutor’s office Prosecutor General Ivan Geshev Prosecutor Geshev Tsatsarov Ministry of Internal Affairs Burgas ODMR Burgas ODPR Burgas police Burgas district police Burgas prosecutor Tsatsarov SGS cases Varna court chairman of the SGS court decisions on civil cases decisions on cases Plovdiv court decision of the court decisions cases Varna court criminal cases district district court decisions work in the court SGS chairman of the SGS judges Sofia court post judges Plovdiv court Plovdiv judges Plovdiv Supreme Court Inspectorate Supreme Court Supreme Judicial Council lawyer lawyer criminal cases lawyer civil cases lawyer marriage cases lawyer administrative criminal law criminal process civil law civil process administrative law constitutional law