FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Monday, July 22, 2024
London, United Kingdom – The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Office of Criminal Investigations (OCI) successfully executed Operation Ancord VII from May 12-18, 2024, in collaboration with U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), the United Kingdom (U.K.) Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), the U.K. Border Force (UKBF), His Majesty’s Revenue and Customs (HMRC), and the U.K. Veterinary Medicines Directorate (UK VMD).
This major enforcement operation, conducted in Coventry in the West Midlands region of England and the Heathrow Worldwide Distribution Center in Langley, Berkshire, effectively intercepted many illicit FDA-regulated products being shipped to the United States.
Operation Ancord, initiated in 2017 to combat the illegal shipment of FDA-regulated products through the U.K., continues to yield substantial results. This year’s operation involved meticulously examining 943 parcels containing medicines, devices, veterinary products, and cosmetics. Of the 943 packages examined, some were referred to FDA-OCI and CBP for further processing and intelligence while others were seized by UKBF and UK VMD.
From 2018 to 2023, FDA-OCI initiated many cases involving food and drug crimes with a U.K. nexus, leading to 104 arrests, seven international apprehensions, five extraditions, 35 convictions, and roughly $29 million in fines, restitution, and asset forfeiture. The operation also uncovered new products, such as veterinary medicines, semaglutides, cosmetics, and intrauterine devices (IUD), indicating evolving trends in illicit shipments.
FDA-OCI will continue to enhance international cooperation and enforcement strategies to combat the illegal shipment of regulated products. Continued vigilance and collaboration with U.K. counterparts remains critical to safeguarding public health and safety.
For media inquiries, please contact ORAPress@fda.hhs.gov.
About FDA-OCI: The FDA Office of Criminal Investigations (OCI) protects public health by investigating criminal violations of the United States Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FD&C Act) and other related laws. FDA - OCI works closely with international, federal, state, and local counterparts to enforce rules and regulations to keep the public safe.
