The National Police have dismantled in Badalona (Barcelonès Nord) a plot that sold counterfeit condoms and drugs against erectile dysfunction that did not meet health standards. The main clients were women engaged in prostitution.
As reported by the Police this Wednesday, 10 citizens of Chinese origin have been arrested in the province of Barcelona as those responsible for this network. The main investigators resided in the town of Badalona.
The defendants offered their products through instant messaging applications and then sent them to the customer. There were numerous buyers nationwide and most were women engaged in prostitution.
The agents have carried out two house searches in which 50 electronic devices, 20,000 units of condoms of different brands, thousands of units of Chinese, Japanese, Indian and American origin drugs for erectile dysfunction and more than 15,500 euros in cash have been intervened.
The investigation began as a result of a complaint filed by a client who, after buying condoms from a well-known brand and noticing their poor quality, reported it to the parcel company that had made the delivery.
The company whose condoms were being counterfeited certified that fraud was taking place and the Spanish Agency for Medicines and Health Products (Aemps) ruled that the product did not meet the requirements for its sale in Spain.
The investigation has revealed that the dismantled criminal group was very secretive and functioned as a business network for the importation, distribution and sale to the public of condoms and medicines. In addition, evidence has been found showing that those arrested were also marketing these products in Poland and Italy.
The Civil Guard stressed that the distribution of this type of counterfeit products poses a significant danger to public health due to the absence of medical control both in the manufacture and in the subsequent prescription of the medicines.
