Interior Ministry warns, Customs Generalizes: Some types of Botox are counterfeit

Ali Ibrahim

Yousef Al-Nouif, Director General of the General Department of Customs, issued Circular No. 28 of 2026 regarding the counterfeiting of a medical product, “Botox.” The circular instructs the relevant authorities to take the necessary measures against the counterfeit product.

Al-Nouif directed department heads to take note and instruct their specialists regarding the letter from the Undersecretary of the Ministry of Interior, No. 418, which referenced a message from the Interpol General Secretariat. The message contained an alert concerning the counterfeiting of a medical product, specifically “Botox” with a concentration of 100 units, belonging to one of the companies.

The Ministry of Interior stated in its letter to the General Department of Customs that, within the framework of Operation Pangia, the Interpol team responsible for combating health and pharmaceutical crimes received an urgent alert from the team dealing with environmental crimes. The alert concerned the detection of counterfeiting activities involving cosmetic “Botox” products.

Operation Pangia is an international operation coordinated by the Interpol General Secretariat, involving police, customs, and health authorities in dozens of countries. It aims to combat the illegal online sale of medicines and medical products.

The Ministry of Interior also noted a recommendation from the Interpol General Secretariat to issue an alert and take immediate action to prevent the circulation of this product, protect consumers from the risks of exposure to illegal or untested products, and ensure that all relevant parties comply with the applicable laws and health regulations.

It further recommended disseminating the alert to the competent national authorities to monitor and track the product, and to notify them if any counterfeit products are seized or discovered within the country.