Materia Medica Malaysiana

RM50,000 fake stimulants seized

Kota Kinabalu: The sale of imitation and unregistered Viagra on five-foot ways here has become rampant, according to Deputy Director of Pharmaceutical Services, Dr Ahmad Mahmud.

“The fake Viagra tablets are sold very cheap by the peddlers with one strip costing between RM20 to RM25 compared with the original price of more than RM100,” he said, following the biggest seizure of RM50,000 worth of imitation sex stimulants from such pedlars in 20 spots at Kg Air, Tuesday.

The raid was led by Dr Ahmad and assisted by 18 enforcement officers from all over the country, including four from Sabah and assisted by four policemen from the KK headquarters.

The unregistered products seized comprised ointments, balms, supplement, and shampoos, among others, most of which were from Indonesia and Philippines.

They were brought in by wholesalers from Tawau, Kuching and even from Kuala Lumpur.

“They don’t have a warehouse here to keep the products. So, they will just have a direct transaction in supplying the products to retailers here,” said Dr Ahmad.

Three locals and two Indonesian men aged between 30 to 50 years, were arrested. The locals were released on bail while the two foreigners would face appropriate police action.

All will be charged under the Poisons Act 1952 for selling such products, including unregistered Viagra.

Those found repeating the offence risk being charged under the Sales and Drug Act 1952 (Amended 2000) which carries a maximum fine of RM50,000 or up to five years’ jail or both, upon conviction. For companies or corporate, a maximum fine of RM100,000 will be imposed under the same act.

“They could face a maximum fine of RM5,000 or up to two years’ jail or both, upon conviction,” he stated, when met at the unit’s office, at KWSP, Wednesday.

The team recovered most of the sex stimulants and fake Viagra inside the booths of a Honda City and Proton Tiara owned by two of the suspects, as well as four briefcases at the scene.

Last Septemper, the unit seized a total of 480 packets of Chinese-made imitation Viargra worth some RM21,000 during a raid on a lodging house at Jalan Pantai, here. The suspect, a Chinese national, was jailed six months by the Sessions Court on Nov. 7, last year.

He advised consumers against buying the imitation Viagra and other sex stimulants, as the products were yet to be evaluated for their efficacy, quality and content.

From the label of the Pfizer Viagra, Dr Ahmad explained that the product was specially produced and packaged for the Australian market, but a Chinese national supplied the product to the suspects.

Nevertheless, he stressed that public should not purchase such product as it is not recognized and registered in Malaysia.

Dr Ahmad said their main strategy was to step up consumer education and increase public awareness against the dangers consuming unregistered products.

“One factor might be their reluctance to consult the doctors of their impotency and the best resort being to approach the illegal peddlers,” he said.

He also disclosed that some RM14 million of unregistered drugs and health products as well as cosmetics in operations conducted since January this year throughout the whole country.