site.btaBulgarian Customs Seizes 15,882 Packs of Medicines, Doping Substances and Food Supplements in SHIELD VI Operation

Bulgaria’s Customs Agency seized 15,882 packs of medicines, doping substances and food supplements during Operation SHIELD VI, the agency said in a press release on Friday.

The Customs Agency took part in Operation SHIELD for the sixth consecutive year. The operation was carried out between April and November 2025 and brought together the efforts of 30 countries, the European Anti-Fraud Office, the European Union Intellectual Property Office, Frontex, INTERPOL, the World Anti-Doping Agency, and national medicines agencies.

The total value of illegal items seized by all participants in the operation amounted to EUR 33,167,423. SHIELD VI focused on detecting counterfeit medicines, trafficking in anabolic-androgenic steroids and other doping substances, illegal food and sports supplements, as well as counterfeit sanitary products and medical devices.

As part of the operation, Bulgarian customs officers carried out 40 seizures. During border inspections, they discovered medicines, anabolic agents, food supplements and sexual stimulants in various forms, including injections, tablets, sachets, capsules and ampoules. In total, 15,882 packs of different medicines, doping substances and food supplements were seized, comprising 34,693 tablets, 91,281 sachets and 6,490 ampoules.

Most of the illegal substances were detected at the Bulgarian-Turkish border and during checks of postal and courier shipments, the press release said.