HSA removes over 60,000 items, 4,600 online listings of illegal health products

The seizing of products is in cooperation with INTERPOL’s Operation Pangea.

The Singapore Health Sciences Authority (HSA) has deleted 4,681 illegal health product listings from online stores and social media platforms, and confiscated over 60,372 illegal health items at assigned checkpoints.

The procedure is done by the Internet-based enforcement action Operation Pangea, organised by INTERPOL and joined by 89 countries from 3 to 10 October 2023.

Around 30% of the online product listings are for sexual enhancement or male vitality items, 14% are for style enhancement, and 8% are contraceptives, skin treatment creams and weight loss medication.

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HSA has also coordinated with local enforcement teams for the removal of 60,372 units of illegal health products, including sexual enhancement products, sedatives, herbal supplements and pain management products. The medical products were sold online and discovered at checkpoints, and not approved by HSA.

Through the operation, HSA expands their monitoring of products on local e-commerce and social media platforms through screening measures, coordinating with local enforcement agencies, global regulatory counterparts and even INTERPOL.

Members of the public are reminded to exercise caution, avoid ambiguous sites and note of misleading claims from several products.