Customs officers and border police seized more than 3,200 vials of botulinum toxin in Calafat

Customs officers and border police discovered 3,281 vials of botulinum toxin-based products on Tuesday, October 27, near the Calafat–Vidin Bridge. The products were hidden among the luggage in a minibus traveling from Bulgaria to Germany. The value of the seizure was estimated at 3,378,200 lei.

The minibus, registered in Bulgaria and driven by a 36-year-old Bulgarian citizen, was stopped at around 1:00 p.m. in a parking area near the bridge’s toll station. The vehicle was selected for inspection following a risk analysis conducted by representatives of the Craiova Regional Customs Directorate and border police officers from Calafat.

Of the products discovered, 324 vials contained botulinum toxin, while 2,957 contained powder for preparing an injectable solution based on botulinum toxin. The products had not been declared.

Botulinum toxin is used in medicine and aesthetic treatments, but improper administration can cause muscle weakness, vision problems, difficulty swallowing and respiratory problems, including paralysis of the respiratory muscles.

Border police officers in Dolj are investigating the origin of the vials and the conditions under which they were to be transported. The investigation concerns the circulation of products bearing a trademark identical or similar to one legally registered, an offense provided for under Law No. 84/1998.