Gangs using smartphone apps and social media to sell ED drugs and slimming pills at low risk and high profit

Surge in illegal sales of drugs as gangs exploit ‘phenomenal market’ online

http://www.theguardian.com/society/2014/dec/28/drugs-medicines-sold-illegally-online-internet

The rise of social media and greater internet access through smartphones are factors behind a huge rise in illicit sales of pharmaceuticals, according to the chief enforcement official at Britain’s medicines regulator.

Criminal gangs have become adept at using social media to sell “lifestyle” drugs to a mass market at minimal risk and cost, said Alastair Jeffrey, head of enforcement at the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency (MHRA). This year, he said the MHRA had seized 1.2m doses of illegally supplied erectile dysfunction drugs, 383,000 slimming products and 331,000 doses of sleeping pills, tranquillisers and antidepressants – mostly originating from China and India. For the first time, the MHRA pursued YouTube accounts and removed 18,671 videos that directed viewers to websites offering illicit drugs.

Many gangs operate through websites that claim to be bona fide online pharmacies. They focus on medicines that people might be reluctant to discuss with their GP or pharmacist, such as Viagra and other erectile dysfunction drugs (here’s PhalloGauge on penis pumps and the like), as well as slimming pills and hair loss treatments. Sales of anabolic steroids for bodybuilders and cognitive enhancers, some of which have not been tested in humans, are booming.

5 Responses

  1. “Democracy in China is like Viagra; no such thing as free elections.”
    George Montgomery

  2. Viagra….up next on the European FDA scheduled drug hit list 😉

  3. “…the study measured levels of sildenafil, the active ingredient in Viagra, in sewage from Amsterdam, Eindhoven and Utrecht. After comparing the levels found with those expected from official dispensing records, the scientists concluded that at least two-thirds of the drugs in use came from illicit sources, most probably online pharmacies.”

    Well, at least all those people didn’t have to pay to be drug tested… But seriously, think of all the drugs that Americans take, and then keep in mind that the technology to filter all those drugs from our waste hasn’t been invented yet…

    Yeah, I think I had a bell pepper the other day that might have had some Viagra in it.

  4. You would think all this would keep the DEA busy and they would not have time to prey on wholesalers, docs, and pharmacies.

    • If you think about it, all the other countries follow the U.S. on drug laws — not that they have much of a choice (until recently). So, international law enforcement is really working for — or closely with — the DEA, right?

Leave a Reply

Discover more from PHARMACIST STEVE

Subscribe now to keep reading and get access to the full archive.

Continue reading