Portugal customs seize 276,000 counterfeit medicines, mainly from India

Portugal's customs authorities intercepted an average of 757 counterfeit medication units per day in 2025, totalling 276,000 seized items. The operation, reported in the 2025 Anti‑Counterfeiting Group (GAC) activity report, valued the confiscated goods at €27.6 million—four times the amount recorded the previous year.

India accounted for 65.2% of the intercepted medicines, making it the leading source, while Brazil rose to second place. Seizures from the United States fell 85.1% and from the United Kingdom 32.4%. The most frequently seized products were erectile‑dysfunction drugs, followed by analgesics, anti‑inflammatories, antibiotics and an increasing number of counterfeit weight‑loss medications.

Authorities warned that purchasing such products outside regulated pharmacies poses serious health risks, as they may contain incorrect or harmful substances. The operation involved customs, the National Authority for Economic and Food Safety, the Tax and Customs Authority, the National Institute of Industrial Property, the National Republican Guard, the Judicial Police and the Public Security Police.