Thousands of counterfeit medicines seized in Hungary

Nearly 170,000 counterfeit medicinal items have been seized following a police raid in Hungary.

The counterfeits, which included copies of pharmaceutical drug Rivotril (Clonazepam), were discovered in the basement of a building in the capital city Budapest.

A 45-year-old man, who according to the website of European IP law firm Petošević is called Mr Lajos, was arrested on suspicion of counterfeiting pharmaceuticals.

Police discovered several hundred bottles labelled “Rivotril” filled with counterfeit pills, as well as pills in unmarked bags, hundreds of unmarked bottles, and a bag with white powder of unknown composition.

According to Petošević, police acted on a tip-off at the end of October that a man would be buying narcotics from an address in Budapest.

Police then went to the site and checked the identity of two men, one of whom was Lajos.

After searching the premises of a property to which Lajos had keys, police found bottles displaying a “Rivotril 2mg” label, as well as empty bottles and bottle caps.

Cotton balls, digital scales, label applicators and other equipment used for making counterfeit drugs were also discovered.

A criminal procedure is now underway, Petošević said.

Rivotril, developed by pharmaceutical company Roche, is used to treat epilepsy.