Swiss customs agents have seized one million fake tablets of anti-anxiety drug Xanax at the Zurich airport, which were destined for Egypt, authorities said Friday. | This explains so, so much... |
"Analyses in the Swissmedic laboratory revealed that the drugs, which are prescribed to treat symptoms of acute anxiety, contained no active ingredients whatsoever," Swissmedic said in a statement. "According to experts, the drugs would be unrecognisable as counterfeits at a first glance."
Xanax is a drug manufactured by Pfizer used to treat severe anxiety or panic disorder. The fake tablets were destroyed.
Developing countries such as Egypt are a massive market for counterfeit medications, a massive trade worth billions of dollars that is often deadly. In parts of Asia, Africa and Latin America, fraudulent medicines are thought to amount to as much as 30 per cent of the market, according to the UN drug agency.