An alarm has been raised by the authorities after the detection of a fishing boat, which brought in its holds almost four million pills with the active medicinal substance pregabalin.

According to an announcement by the Coast Guard, “Officers of the Central Port Authority of Lavrio, in the presence of officers of the Lavrio Customs, found on a private vessel five hundred boxes weighing 3,147,500 kg., which contained a total of three million seven hundred and fifty (3,750,000) capsules-pills with active medicinal substance “BREGABALIN NERVIGESIC”.

As the announcement states, “in the evening hours of March 21, 2024, following the utilization of information from the National Intelligence Service (NIS), regarding the activity of Egyptian circles operating and active within the Greek territory, the executives of the Central Port Authority of Lavrio proceeded to search and locate the vessel”.

The vessel, which flies the flag of the United Kingdom, remains, following a prosecutor’s order, tied up with its cargo in the port of Lavrio.

The preliminary investigation is carried out by the Central Port Authority of Lavrio.

What is the medicinal substance pregabalin

Pregabalin is a medicine used to treat epilepsy, neuropathic pain, fibromyalgia, restless legs syndrome and generalized anxiety disorder. It is used in epilepsy as an additional treatment for focal seizures. When used before surgery, it reduces pain, but leads to greater sedation and visual disturbances. It is taken orally.

When pregabalin is taken in high doses for a long time, addiction can occur, but if taken in usual doses the risk is low.

Pregabalin was approved for medical use in the United States in 2004.