Berkshire couple nabbed for £1.6m illegal medicines racket
Crackdown on unlicensed pill peddlers
A Berkshire pair, Karina Filimonova and Andrejs Stolarovs, have each been jailed for eight months over their role in a huge illegal drug operation worth £1.6 million. The Southwark Crown Court sentenced the duo after a thorough probe by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA).
Royal Mail tips off MHRA
MHRA’s investigation kicked off back in 2020 when suspicious parcels full of unlicensed medicine caught Royal Mail’s attention. The MHRA’s Criminal Enforcement Unit launched a deep dive inquiry, teaming up with local cops to crack the case.
1.3 million pills seized from Maidenhead home
When police stormed their Kidwells Close address in Maidenhead, they found over 1.3 million pills of 65 different brands stashed away. These drugs treated everything from sexual dysfunction, infertility, obesity, to serious conditions like breast cancer and HIV. The illegal haul was worth an eye-watering £1.6 million on the street.
MHRA vows to protect public health
“This was a sophisticated operation illegally bringing unlicensed medicines into the UK from Singapore and India, and then distributing them across the country and abroad,” said Andy Morling, MHRA Deputy Director of Criminal Enforcement.
Morling warned about the dangers of taking such powerful meds without proper medical supervision. He insisted the MHRA is “committed to safeguarding public health by actively combating illegal activities involving medicines and medical devices.”
The Crown Prosecution Service charged the pair under the Human Medicines Regulations 2012. They also received 150 hours unpaid work and an 18-month suspended sentence.
