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The Guardia Civil are continuing with their investigation into the illegal medicine network smashed on Monday, with the arrest of 13 doctors, including a 50-year-old doctor in Majorca. The Balearic Minister for Health, Aina Salom, said yesterday that her department is currently investigating 13 cases involving the sale of unrecognised medication in the Balearics and in as many as four of the cases, heavy fines of between 3.000 and 4.000 euros have already been handed out. However, Salom was quick to point out that none of the investigation relates to the sale of potentially harmful drugs, she said that the majority claim to help either weight loss or have curative properties. With regards to the events over the past two days, the Minister was not sure whether the doctor arrested in Palma worked for the Ib-salut Balearic health service or in the private sector. Salom hinted that she had been aware of the operation, she said that the Guardia Civil carried out the operation under the utmost secrecy in order not to alarm those involved and send them into hiding, closing down the illegal network. Salom said that she had the maximum confidence in the Guardia Civil and will be fully briefed when the police have all the necessary information. The Minister however does not know how many patients in the Balearics may have come into contact with the illegal medication, pointing out that her department had their hands tied with regards to preventing the sale of the drugs as they were marketed over the internet. Salom issued a warning to the public yesterday, quite simply not to buy medication over the internet, adding that all medicines purchased through the traditional methods, have undergone strict tests, which fail to apply to drugs sold on the net. But Salom is most concerned about the fact that patients, many suffering from cancer, across Spain turned their backs on drugs and medical treatment prescribed by their doctors and specialists in preference for the two illegal drugs marketed on the net. “It's a great result that these people have been caught and the network shut down,” she said yesterday, repeating that seriously ill patients must listen to the advice of their doctors and pharmacists.