The current work of the MEDICRIME Convention and the publicly reported incidents of illicit diversion and falsification of medicines was actively introduced at the Joint Expert Group on organised crime relating to drug trafficking (OC-DT) held on 28-29 April 2025 under the aegis of the Pompidou Group.

The goal of this meeting was to both analyse and contribute to the preliminary draft Background Study, which will serve as a basis for the drafting of a Policy Guidelines document in the area of combating organised crime relating to drug trafficking based on the case-law of the European Court of Human Rights. These policy guidelines will serve as the foundation for a future Committee of Ministers’ Recommendation addressed to Council of Europe member states on combating organised crime in the form of, and linked to, drug trafficking. Drug trafficking and the trafficking of falsified medical products are increasingly interconnected with criminal networks exploiting shared supply chains, dark web markets and regulatory gaps to maximize profits.

Organised criminal groups are diversifying into fake medicines, controlled medicines and psychoactive substances due to high demand, lower penalties and overlapping smuggling methods. These illicit activities fuel parallel public health crises, from opioid overdoses (due to falsified pills laced with fentanyl) to treatment failures from counterfeit antibiotics or antimalarials. Strengthening cross-border cooperation between justice, law enforcement and health authorities along with the private sector is critical to interrupt these converging threats.