Luxury Car Gang Sold Viagra Pills As Food Supplements

Story ByMaja Mishevksa, Sub EditorMarija StojkoskaAgencyNewsflash

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Spanish cops have arrested 47 suspected members of a flashy luxury car gang who imported erectile dysfunction pills from Malaysia and sold them on in packaging for herbal food supplements.

According to Spanish media, the erectile dysfunction products were imported from Malaysia and if taken without medical supervision, they could cause conditions such heart attacks, brain damage and sudden death.

Over 400 Civil Guard and National Police offers carried out raids in 15 Spanish provinces.

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The suspected ringleader, identified with his initials A.D.G., is a Spanish national who was arrested in Dubai where he ran the operation, according to local media.

The suspected reportedly has three international arrest warrants against his name, the details of which were not disclosed, and he is expected to be extradited to Spain.

The other suspects are all Spanish except for one Portuguese man.

They were arrested in Madrid, Alicante, Girona, Barcelona, Tarragona, Valencia, Almeria, Jaen, Granada, Seville, Malaga, Leon, Salamanca, Valladolid and the Canary Islands.

The 47 detainees are reportedly charged with crimes against public health, belonging to a criminal gang, fraud, drug trafficking and money laundering.

Meanwhile, 57 website which sold the products online, as well as 39 non-Spanish bank accounts, have all been taken down, according to local media.

Police also reportedly seized 500,000 EUR (418,150 GBP), seven luxury vehicles valued at over 300,000 EUR (250,890 GBP) and two firearms.

The authorities also found over 200,000 packets of medicine all listed as 100 percent natural products which is how they were able to pass through border controls easily, according to local media.

However, after being tested, the products were reportedly found to contain erectile dysfunction medication such as Tadalafil and Sildenafil, sold as the brand name Viagra among others.

The Spanish Agency of Medicines and Medical Products removed the medication from the marketplace because they were considered dangerous for public health, according to local media.

Reports said that the gang leaders were aware of the dangerous consequences, but they did not care about their clients’ complaints or the continued removal of the products from the marketplace.

They allegedly changed the brand names and packaging to continue selling them on and police found 150 different brand variations for one product.

The investigation is ongoing.

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