HSA intercepts thousands of unapproved medicines and fillers as Interpol targets cancer “cure” kits worldwide.
A global Interpol-led sweep has seized millions of doses of illegal pharmaceuticals, with Singapore’s Health Sciences Authority intercepting thousands of unapproved medicines and counterfeit products at checkpoints and online platforms.
Global Operation Pangea Results
Operation Pangea, Interpol’s worldwide enforcement exercise targeting illicit pharmaceuticals sold online, ran from March 10 to 23 with participation from 90 countries. Authorities seized 6.42 million doses of drugs worth about US$15.5 million (approx. S$19.6 million), launched 392 investigations, executed 158 warrants, made 269 arrests and dismantled 66 criminal groups while disrupting around 5,700 scam-linked websites, social media accounts, channels and bots.
Singapore’s Seizures And Checkpoint Interceptions
In Singapore, the Health Sciences Authority removed multiple online listings and seized 6,641 units of illegal health products, about 88 per cent of which were intercepted via postal services. Prescription medicines such as painkillers and sedatives formed roughly 36 per cent of seizures, while anti-parasitic drugs including ivermectin accounted for about 30 per cent, alongside 110 boxes of pre-filled dermal filler syringes that must legally be administered only by registered healthcare professionals.
Cancer “Kits”, Ivermectin And Fenbendazole
Interpol reported significant seizures of ivermectin and fenbendazole in Singapore, Australia, New Zealand, the US and Britain, often mislabelled as supplements and bundled into so-called cancer treatment kits to evade regulation. HSA reiterated that ivermectin is a prescription-only anti-parasitic, not an antiviral or approved Covid-19 or cancer therapy, warning that self-medication can be dangerous and that similar misuse surged during the pandemic despite official cautions.
Online Listings, Contact Lenses And Counterfeits
HSA took down 959 illegal health-product listings from local e-commerce and social platforms and issued warnings to 152 sellers; about 82 per cent of removed listings involved unregistered cosmetic contact lenses. Other adverts pushed prescription-only skin medicines, sexual enhancement pills, nasal sprays and aspirators, oxygen concentrators and other regulated products. Interpol also flagged counterfeit GLP-1 diabetes/weight-loss drugs sold online for as little as US$10, some containing sibutramine, a banned substance linked to heart attacks and strokes.
Anabolic Steroids, Fitness Demand And Public Warnings
Globally, authorities seized 86,732 doses of anabolic steroids, with Interpol noting strong demand from bodybuilding and fitness communities and production hubs in eastern and south-eastern Europe, India, Britain and the US. Interpol secretary-general Valdecy Urquiza and HSA chief executive Raymond Chua warned that criminals exploit online marketplaces and informal supply chains to target people seeking quick or cheap treatment, stressing that fake and illegal medicines can cause severe or fatal harm and urging the public and professionals to report suspect products promptly.
The latest Operation Pangea highlights how quickly dangerous, mislabelled drugs – from pet dewormers sold as cancer cures to counterfeit injectables – can reach homes via parcels and social media. Indonesians and Singaporeans alike need to treat online “miracle” treatments with extreme caution, buy only from licensed sources and support cross-border enforcement so that health systems and regulators can stay ahead of criminal networks profiting from fear, misinformation and desperation.
Sources: Straits Times (2026) , HSA GOV SG (2026)
Keywords: Ivermectin Seizures, Fenbendazole Cancer Kits, Unregistered Contact Lenses, Dermal Fillers, GLP-1 Counterfeits, Operation Pangea
