French customs authorities said on Monday that a record 31,000 tonnes of illegally imported honey was seized in the country last year, touted as a natural sexual enhancement but often laced with erectile dysfunction drugs. .
Packs of honey and gel, sold as “shots” or “sticks” with names like Black Horse and Bio Max, are often secretly sold in clubs and other nightlife spots.
The use of “aphrodisiac honey” has increased in recent years, with authorities warning of potentially serious health risks from ingredients not listed on the label.
“Consumers run a significant risk by consuming this type of adulterated honey, as the amount of adulteration is unknown and neither intake nor recommendations have been quantified,” French Customs said in a statement. said.
They often contain chemicals such as sildenafil and tadalafil, which are the main substances. erectile dysfunction drugs Viagra and Cialis are available only by prescription in France.
french customs
Already in 2021, health authorities had warned of multiple cases where honey caused convulsions, brain edema, or acute kidney damage.
French customs said it had seized 31,000 tonnes, mainly from countries including Malaysia, Turkey, Tunisia and Thailand.
“After being purchased online, it arrives either by sea in containers in large quantities or by express delivery in small quantities,” the agency said.
The largest find was discovered in the Mediterranean port city of Marseille in November, when 13 tonnes, equivalent to about 860,000 rods, were discovered in a shipment from Malaysia.
Last June, officials announced that customs officers in Lyon and Clermont-Ferrand had seized about 25,000 doses of honey in storage boxes.
