Steamy Gold Strikes Back: Unveiling the Sleazy Side of "Intimacy Elixirs"
Customs Agencies on the Rise, Focusing on Seizure of "Virility-Enhancing Honey"
Facebook Twitter Whatsapp E-Mail Print Copy Link For years, illicit treats spiked with potency boosters have crept their way from Turkey into Germany's market. Customs officials wheel away these uncharted goods routinely.
Marketed as Rampant Energy Chocolates, Roaring Power, or Mystical Aphrodisiac Honey, these concoctions allegedly enhance your intimacy game. Customs investigators in Munich and Hamburg have seized over 13 tons of such passion enhancements in the past, a representative from the General Customs Directorate shared. A fad that first surfaced in 2022.
Across Germany, there's no national count on these so-called "intimacy honey" or similar products. A spokesperson for the government presidency in Karlsruhe, who oversees checks on all products seized by customs in Baden-Württemberg, reported only 18 cases of honey-like pastes were scrutinized last year, compared to three the year before.
Ingredients Unveiled
All the seized products contained the hidden active ingredient Sildenafil and/or Tadalafil - substances typically employed to treat impotence in men. Such meds require a physician's prescription.
The Bavarian State Office for Health and Food Safety's Drug Testing Institute, on behalf of the Medicines Monitoring Authority, examined 56 samples of these products in 2023. A whopping 49 of them were found laced with virility-inducing components. Previously, only a handful of these examinations were requested. The authority characterized the affected products as prescription-only meds.
Dangers Await
Often, the dosage was undisclosed, the spokesperson for the Karlsruhe government presidency warned. This ambiguity escalates the risk of overdose. Moreover, the components were frequently omitted from the products, veiling the truth from consumers.
Individuals suffering from heart and circulatory system issues confront serious hazards. Interactions with certain medications like nitrates and ritonavir from HIV therapy prove risky due to significant side effects.
Market Origin
These intimacy booster treats are predominantly routed from Turkey, Middle Eastern countries, or Malaysia to Germany, according to the General Customs Directorate.
Ralf Nentwich, a Green state parliamentarian and amateur beekeeper from Baden-Württemberg, demands stricter checks. Although consumers seldom bump into such honey in a supermarket, he states, they either acquire them through travel or online orders. "These products undeniably damage the credibility of honey."
Source: ntv.de, mba/dpa
- Food
- Customs Criminal Investigation Office
Additional Insights
- Intimacy honey might refer to honey infused with cannabis, a controlled substance in many countries, or other herbal supplements marketed for their sexual-enhancing properties.
- In Germany, food and health products must comply with EU and German safety and labeling regulations. Should the product contain psychoactive substances or is marketed as a medicinal product, it would fall under stricter regulations under the German Medicinal Products Act (AMG) and the Narcotics Act (BtMG).
- Bee pollen, a well-known supplement with health benefits, is regulated as a food supplement and must conform to food safety standards in Germany. Cannabis for medical use is legal under specific conditions, but recreational use is prohibited.
- The Customs Criminal Investigation Office in Germany has seized a significant amount of foods, such as "Rampant Energy Chocolates" and "Mystical Aphrodisiac Honey," during routine checks, which are believed to contain unauthorized substances like Sildenafil, typically used to treat impotence.
- In 2022, customs investigators in Munich and Hamburg seized over 13 tons of such items, classified as "intimacy enhancements" that allegedly boost intimacy.
- These foods, often marketed as "intimacy honey" or similar products, are primarily sourced from Turkey, Middle Eastern countries, or Malaysia, with many containing undisclosed dosages of Sildenafil or Tadalafil, substances that can pose serious health risks for individuals with heart and circulatory system issues, especially when interacting with certain medications like nitrates and ritonavir from HIV therapy.
