French customs confiscates 13 tons of potent honey

Last year, French customs confiscated over 13 tons of so-called potency honey, which was illegally mixed with aphrodisiac ingredients.

The honey imported from Malaysia, Turkey, Tunisia and 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 said.

Consumption could be dangerous to health as neither the dosage nor any indications of side effects are given. Customs in Germany are also talking about a dangerous trend.

Potency honey is offered under various brands in the form of shots or sticks in small shops or on the Internet, with the promise that it promotes fitness and health. Buyers often do not know or underestimate the potential dangers of these products, explained French customs.

Banned imports have increased rapidly in recent years. In November, 860,000 potency honey sticks from Malaysia with a total weight of more than 13 tons were confiscated in the port of Marseille. According to the customs documents, it should be natural honey. However, the officials carried out an analysis which showed that the honey contained active ingredients that are prescribed for erectile dysfunction.

In Germany, customs also warn against the consumption of illegally imported potency honey. According to customs information, 80 kilos of potent honey were discovered in travelers’ luggage at Cologne-Bonn Airport last year. A few kilos of such honey were also confiscated in a shop in Baden-Württemberg last year.