PURCHASE, N.Y.--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- MasterCard Worldwide recently partnered with Interpol to support the global police organization’s efforts to prevent websites from supplying illegal and counterfeit prescription drugs and medicines to consumers. Named “Operation Pangea III,” the week-long effort covered 45 participating countries and resulted in 76 arrests to date. Additionally, 290 websites have been shut down and nearly 11,000 packages of contraband have been seized or detained.

“MasterCard is concerned with any possibility that our cardholders could purchase illegal goods and services online,” said Eileen Simon, MasterCard Worldwide Chief Franchise Development Officer. “MasterCard engages with its customers, as well as regulatory bodies and law enforcement agencies around the world, to help ensure that payment card transactions are legitimate and safe.”

In addition to MasterCard’s recent efforts with Interpol and its partnering agencies to prevent illegal drug and medication sales, MasterCard also engages in a wide variety of ongoing programs and coalition efforts to prevent the sale of illegal goods online.

About MasterCard Worldwide

As a leading global payments company, MasterCard Worldwide prides itself on being at the heart of commerce, helping to make life easier and more efficient for everyone, everywhere. MasterCard serves as a franchisor, processor and advisor to the payments industry, and makes commerce happen by providing a critical economic link among financial institutions, governments, businesses, merchants, and cardholders worldwide. In 2009, $2.5 trillion in gross dollar volume was generated on its products by consumers around the world. Powered by the MasterCard Worldwide Network – the fastest payment processing network in the world – MasterCard processes over 22 billion transactions each year, has the capacity to handle 140 million transactions per hour, with an average network response time of 140 milliseconds and with 99.99 percent reliability. MasterCard advances global commerce through its family of brands, including MasterCard®, Maestro®, and Cirrus®; its suite of core products such as credit, debit, and prepaid; and its innovative platforms and functionalities, such as MasterCard PayPass™ and MasterCard inControl™. MasterCard serves consumers, governments, and businesses in more than 210 countries and territories. For more information, please visit us at www.mastercard.com. Follow us on Twitter: @mastercardnews.