A COUPLE has avoided jail despite the illegal possession and supply of £1.6m of unlicensed medicines.

Karina Filimonova, 35, and Andrejs Stolarovs, 32, were each sentenced at Southwark Crown Court to eight months in prison each suspended for 18 months.

The unlicensed medicine included prescription-only medicines, valued at £1.6m following investigations by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA).

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The MHRA were notified in 2020 of seizures of parcels containing unlicensed medicines following an investigation of suspicious parcel activity by the Royal Mail Group (RMG).

An investigation was launched and, supported by local police, the couple were arrested at their home in Kidwells Close, Maidenhead, where they were found to be in possession of over 1.3m pills of 65 different brands of medicines.

The medicines were used for a range of conditions including sexual dysfunction, infertility, obesity, alcohol and opioid dependence, narcolepsy/ADHD, breast cancer and HIV.

Following the MHRA’s investigation, the Crown Prosecution Service brought charges against Filimonova and Stolarovs, who pleaded guilty on June 13 at Southwark Crown Court.

They were each ordered to complete 150 hours of unpaid work.

Andy Morling, MHRA Deputy Director of Criminal Enforcement, said: “This was a sophisticated operation illegally bringing unlicensed medicines into the UK from Singapore and India, and then distributing them across the country and abroad. 

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“Criminals trading in medicines illegally like this are not only breaking the law, but they also have no regard for your safety.

“These are powerful medicines that can lead to serious adverse health consequences if taken without appropriate medical supervision.”