Paris, Jan 21, (dpa/GNA) – Seizures of honey mixed with potency-enhancing ingredients, have increased significantly in France, according to customs officials, with 2024 seeing one massive haul of over 13 tons.
The so-called “potency honey,” imported from Malaysia, Turkey, Tunisia or Thailand, contains active ingredients such as sildenafil or tadalafil, both of which are used to treat erectile dysfunction and are subject to the Medicines Act, customs officials said on Monday.
Consumption could be hazardous to health, as neither the dosage nor any indications of side effects are given.
Potency honey is offered under different brands in the form of shots or sticks in small shops or on the internet, with the promise that it promotes fitness and health. The buyers are often unaware of the potential danger of these products or underestimate it, the French customs said.
Imports of the prohibited substance have increased rapidly in recent years. There were 18 separate cases of illegal importation in 2019, compared to 131 seizures in 2023.
In November, 860,000 potency-enhancing honey sticks from Malaysia, with a total weight of more than 13 tons, were confiscated at the port of Marseille.
The customs documents claimed the goods were natural honey. However, the officials arranged for an analysis, which showed that the honey contained active ingredients that are prescribed for erectile dysfunction.
GNA