A 45-year-old man was sentenced to 51 weeks custody suspended for 15 months and was ordered to pay £3000 costs for illegally importing and supplying erectile dysfunction medicines, as well as other medicine offences.

Paul Giddings, of Sandhurst, Berkshire pleaded guilty to two counts of importing both unlicensed and generic erectile dysfunction medicines, Kamagra and Lovegra.

He also pleaded guilty to possession with intent to supply medicinal products, as well as the sale and supply, and distribution of unlicensed erectile dysfunction drugs, including Tadalafil, Kamagra and Lovegra.

The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) received referrals from HM Revenue and Customs that two parcels had been intercepted, both of which contained Lovegra.

MHRA investigators visited Giddings's residential address where 21,895 Kamagra products, 24 Tadalafil tablets and 9600 Lovegra tablets were seized.

The amount of products involved and seized exceeded 40,000 tablets.

MHRA Head of Enforcement Mick Deats said, "Mr Giddings was illegally importing and supplying medicinal products without any regard for the potential harm they could pose.

"The products being sold have undergone no quality control and there is no guarantee about their safety or quality.

You simply don't know what you are taking or the conditions these products were made in. More importantly, you don't know the effect drugs like this might have on your health".

Notes

1. If an individual is convicted of offences under the Medicines Act 1968, they can be sentenced to a maximum of two years imprisonment and/or an unlimited fine. Where appropriate the MHRA will use the Proceeds of Crime Act 2002 to determine whether or not benefits were accrued through criminal activity and will recoup illicit earnings if the individual is found guilty. In cases involving counterfeit medicines, the MHRA will use the Fraud Act or Trade Marks Act which both carry a maximum of 10 years imprisonment.

Source:
MHRA