Counterfeit medicine peddlers jailed in UK

Two men were jailed for a total of two years in a UK court yesterday on charges of conspiring to supply counterfeit medicines via an online pharmacy.

Aziz Ahmed and Benjamin Newsome were convicted at Harrow Crown court and sentenced to 18 months and six months respectively for their part in the activity.

Ahmed also received an additional nine-month sentence for possession of class C drugs with intent to supply, while Newsome also received a one-month sentence for possession of a class B drug, methylphenidate, as well as an unlicensed erectile dysfunction drug. All sentences will run concurrently.

The sentencing follows a two-year investigation by the UK's Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), which culminated in the seizure of 99,220 tablets, including counterfeit copies of Eli Lilly's Cialis (tadalafil) and Pfizer's Viagra (sildenafil), as well as a variety of controlled substances. The seized medicines had been sourced from Pakistan.

In a statement, MHRA head of enforcement Nimo Ahmed said: "The MHRA will act against those who compromise public health in the pursuit of profit."