Police in China seized one ton of fake Viagra pills during a series of raids
on gangs that were making counterfeit drugs to sell domestically and overseas.
File photo of a police officer showing fake Viagra that was
seized in raids in Beijing. [Agencies]
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Aside from the the popular anti-impotency drug, fake versions of Tamiflu,
which is being stockpiled around the world for a potential bird flu pandemic,
and anti-malarial medications were uncovered, Xinhua news agency said Wednesday.
Four gangs were busted making the drugs during a two-year crackdown that
involved Chinese and US authorities, as well as Interpol, Xinhua said, citing
the Ministry of Public Security.
The announcement of the busts come after the former head of China's food and
drug watchdog Zheng Xiaoyu was executed this month for taking bribes to approve
medicines, some of which were unsafe.
The one ton of Viagra was uncovered in China's southern Guangdong province
that borders Hong Kong following a raid late last year made in co-operation with
US law authorities, Xinhua said.
The Tamiflu raids in May also took place after acting on intelligence from US
authorities, resulting in the arrests of 19 suspects. Xinhua said the gang had
been trying to sell the Tamiflu into the United States via the Internet.
Few other details of the busts, or the expected trials of the suspects, were
revealed.