UK Illicit Online Pharmacy Owner Sentenced for Distribution of Unlicensed Medicines Imported from America
Brothers convicted of selling illicit medication online in the UK sourced their product from America, prosecutors declare in fake pharmacy case.
Asaad Hussain and his younger brother, Fraz Hussain, began selling yohimbe in tablet form as “Extensis” a made-up medication in March 2003, and despite a raid by MHRA in 2006, continued to sell it until 2008.
The Hussains were convicted of importing the prohibited medication yohimbe and repackaging it and selling it for over five years. The Hussains were originally caught with 4,414 containers of tablets made of yohimbe with a street value of £132,420 in October 2006. However in 2008 investigators found 389 more bottles, promotional boxes, leaflets and evidence of sales of 45 more bottles of the illegal drug, announced the MHRA.
Prosecutor Alex Rooke said the brothers imported the drug from America before repackaging it and selling it through a fake internet pharmacy and in magazine advertisements, reported This Is Leicestershire.
Mr Rooke said yohimbe has been a controlled substance since 1978 because “it has the potential to cause blood pressure complications and there is also the risk of a stroke.”
Asaad Husssain, 40, pleaded guilty to two offenses of the unlawful sale of a medicinal product at Leicester Crown Court. He was given time to forfeit the £35,000 in profits from the illegal sales, and also received £5,000 in fines. However after six months, he had not paid the fines and forfeiture, and was sentenced to jail time for failure to comply.
Fraz Hussain, 35, admitted selling a medical product without authority.