• Five people are under investigation as alleged perpetrators of a drug trafficking offense and another offense against Social Security.

• The medicines lacked the required health and commercial documentation

December 19, 2025. Customs and Customs Surveillance officials from the Tax Agency, together with agents from the Civil Guard belonging to the Fiscal Section of Tenerife North Airport, have seized 70,000 medicines in 20 suitcases checked in at Tenerife North Airport and have investigated three men aged 83, 21 and 27 and two women aged 85 and 55 as alleged perpetrators of a crime against public health, in its modality of trafficking medicines and another crime against Social Security.

The incidents were detected during inspections of checked baggage traveling in the holds of airplanes. There, after examining several suitcases that raised suspicions with 'X-rays', security guards alerted the Civil Guard agents who operate at the airport under the guidelines of the Customs Administrator

Subsequently, in different inspections carried out over two days, the investigators discovered 20 checked packages in which they found more than 70,000 medicines that were in the possession of five people, three men aged 83, 21 and 27 and two women aged 85 and 55, who have been investigated. They were all passengers who were preparing to travel independently and on different flights.

The medicines have been seized, as they lacked the corresponding documentation in relation to an alleged commercial shipment and the approval of the Spanish Agency for Medicines.

Irresponsible use of medicines, as well as their sale, transport and distribution without traceability and control by health authorities, can lead to serious health problems, as well as non-compliance with the specific regulations governing this matter, which could result in administrative or criminal penalties.