Coffee to cure ED seized

NST: Cappucino that purportedly cures erectile dysfunction was among 500 types of unregistered traditional medicine seized by the Health Ministry here over the weekend.
The coffee contains a scheduled poison called sildenafil which produces the same effect as Viagra.
"It is priced at RM24 for a box of two sachets and is sold by direct sales agents here," said Pharmaceutical Services deputy director Dr Ahmad Mahmud.
Some 700 boxes of the product, worth about RM16,800, were seized.
The total worth of the seized medicine, mostly imported from Indonesia, Thailand and China, was RM600,000.
"The cappucino has been traced to a factory that has been in operation for over a year, in Batu Berendam," Dr Ahmad said.
He said the product was available in most parts of the country and it was first seized during a raid in Butterworth last September.
He said the owner of the factory, a local in his 40s, would be charged once investigations were completed.
He said the haul resulted from random checks by 50 ministry enforcement officers of shops in Ayer Keroh and Bukit Baru.
Over the weekend, the team combed through 20 business premises, including traditional Chinese medicine shops, coffee factories and night markets.
Nineteen other businessmen and dealers are also expected to be charged under the Sales of Goods Act 1952.
If convicted, individuals could be fined up to RM25,000 or jailed up to three years, while for companies, the maximum fine is RM50,000.