Customs officials in France have warned people not to consume so-called “aphrodisiac honey” - illegally imported honey mixed with medicines used to treat erectile dysfunction.

A record amount of illegally imported honey touted as a sexual enhancement — but often tainted with erectile dysfunction drugs — was seized in France last year.

French customs authorities are raising the alarm about an illegal substance flooding the country in record quantities: "erectile honey". Packaged as convenient sticks or shots, the substance contains a mix of honey and Viagra-like medicine and is sold on the black market in certain night shops for a few euros each. The honey is sold "for consumption that is intended to be 'festive,' but is above all dangerous," France’s customs agency said. Related A third of Europeans have tried illegal drugs. Which countries have the worst drug habit? That’s because the honey sticks often contain sildenafil or tadalafil, which are prescribed for erectile dysfunction but can cause side effects when combined with alcohol or other drugs, such as blood pressure medicines. The sticks "may seem harmless to them or even, in the case of honey, trustworthy, but can be dangerous to their health and safety," customs officials said. Record customs seizureDespite the health risks, erectile honey’s popularity appears to have taken off in recent years. French authorities made 131 seizures in 2023, up from 18 cases in 2019. The latest bust was a new record: about 860,000 sticks, or 13 tonnes, of erectile honey. In weight, that’s equivalent to a London double-decker bus. Related 'Everywhere, every day': How the EU's drugs agency is tackling a new surge That seizure took place in Marseille in November 2024, when customs officers grew suspicious of documents for “natural honey” that was smuggled from Malaysia. When they tested a few samples, they discovered the erectile dysfunction medication was mixed in. Erectile honey has been found across France. In June 2024, customs officers in Lyon and Clermont-Ferrand seized nearly 25,000 sticks. It typically comes from Malaysia, Turkey, Tunisia, or Thailand, the agency said.