POLADA Supported an Operation by the  Central Cybercrime Bureau (CBZC) Targeting the Illegal Distribution of Counterfeit Medicinal Products

Officers of the Central Cybercrime Bureau (CBZC), a specialised unit of the Polish Police, arrested 12 members of an organised criminal group that had been placing large quantities of counterfeit medicinal products on the market through hidden online forums, private messaging groups, social media platforms, and numerous websites.

The group carried out more than 15,000 shipments containing counterfeit medicinal products with an estimated black-market value exceeding PLN 15 million. The operation was supported by investigators from the Intelligence and Investigations Team of the Polish Anti-Doping Agency (POLADA). The investigation is being supervised by the Regional Prosecutor’s Office in Katowice.

“POLADA participated in a major law enforcement operation conducted by the Central Cybercrime Bureau, which resulted in the arrest of 12 individuals and the seizure of substances prohibited in sport, as well as counterfeit medicinal products. The sale of these products was promoted through a popular online forum dedicated to dietary supplements and substances prohibited in sport. POLADA actively contributes to efforts aimed at restricting access to prohibited substances, particularly anabolic-androgenic steroids. The scale of production and distribution of these substances remains considerable. During the first half of 2026 alone, POLADA provided operational support to law enforcement authorities in 90 operations—on average, one every other day,” said Dr Michał Rynkowski, Director of the Polish Anti-Doping Agency (POLADA).

According to the investigative findings, the organised criminal group had been operating throughout Poland since at least the beginning of 2024. Its members are suspected of manufacturing and distributing medicinal products, including hormonal medicines, psychotropic drugs, medicinal products used to treat erectile dysfunction or promote weight loss, as well as anabolic steroids.

The promotion and distribution of these products relied on a popular online forum dedicated to dietary supplements and substances prohibited in sport. The forum contained information about available products, guidance on their use, and laboratory test results purportedly confirming the presence of the declared active ingredients.