Be Careful Where You Purchase Your Meds Overseas

March 18, 2011

Three men were arrested and more than £1 million pounds worth of suspected

counterfeit and unlicensed medicines were seized yesterday as part of a

simultaneous raid on three residential locations, and a secure storage unit, in

north and east London.

The operation targeted the gang, with eastern European connections, for alleged

supply of vast amounts of counterfeit medicines internationally including many

customers within the UK. The drugs were alleged to have originated from the Far

East.

The trio, who have been released on bail, are believed to be linked to numerous

illegal online pharmacies selling fake Prescription Only Medicines and other

unlicensed drugs online.

MHRA Head of Operations Danny Lee-Frost said the stash of more than 300,000

tablets, recovered from what was described at the scene as an " Aladdin's cave of

fake medicine " included Viagra, Cialis and Levitra, and was designed to " trick

unsuspecting customers that they were getting the real deal " .

" These illegal online pharmacies have been supplying a massive amount of

medicines, mostly to treat erectile dysfunction, hair loss and weight loss, to

many people around the world, " he said.

" What we seized yesterday is estimated to have a street value of more than £1

million but the business these men were running could have generated a turnover

well in excess of that. "

Mr Lee-Frost said people should be vigilant when buying medicines online and

should only do so from registered websites after a consultation with their GP or

a healthcare professional.

" The dangers of purchasing medicines online are that you just don't know what

you are taking, " he said. " The dosages could be either too high or too low, or

worse, the tablet could contain dangerous ingredients such as brick dust from a

cement mixer in which it was produced.

" Those involved in these types of dealings do not care about your health. They

are only in it for one reason, and that is to make money. "

FYI,

Lottie Duthu

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