French customs authorities said on Monday that a record 31,000 tonnes of illegally imported honey, presented as an all-natural sexual stimulant – but often contaminated with erectile dysfunction drugs – were seized in the country last year .
Packets of honey and gels, sold as “shots” or “sticks” with names like Black Horse or Bio Max, are often sold surreptitiously in clubs and other nightlife venues.
The use of “aphrodisiac honey” has increased in recent years as authorities warn of potentially serious health risks from ingredients not listed on labels.
“As the adulterated quantity is unknown and the doses consumed are neither recommended nor quantified, the consumer takes significant risks by consuming this type of adulterated honey,” French customs said in a press release. statement.
They often contain chemicals like sildenafil or tadalafil, the main substances found in erectile dysfunction medications Viagra and Cialis, which in France are only available by prescription.
French customs
Already in 2021, health authorities had warned of several cases where honey had caused convulsions, brain edema or acute kidney damage.
French customs said they seized 31,000 tonnes, mainly from countries including Malaysia, Turkey, Tunisia and Thailand.
“They arrive by sea, in containers in large quantities, or by express freight, in smaller volumes, following purchases on the Internet,” specifies the office.
The largest discovery was made in the Mediterranean port city of Marseille in November: 13 tonnes, divided into around 860,000 sticks, in a shipment from Malaysia.
Last June, authorities indicated that customs officers in Lyon and Clermont-Ferrand had seized nearly 25,000 doses of honey in a storage crate.