Online Pharmacy Owner Caught Selling Fake Drugs Out Of London Garage
An Uxbridge resident has pleaded guilty to selling counterfeit medicine online from a repair garage in northwest London.
Saranjit Bhambra admitted to operating a website, www.keepithard.co.uk, that sold prescription erectile dysfunction medication without a prescription. He pleaded guilty on April 26, 2011, to one offense of selling medicinal products that contain ingredients found in medicines that can only be supplied with a prescription or by a qualified pharmacist, announced the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA). The web-based pharmacy is now defunct.
MHRA launched an investigation known as Operation Rome following a test purchase of four “Tadil” tables from Bhramba’s website. Investigators discovered the pharmacy was conducted out of a car mechanic’s garage. Investigators described storage conditions for the fake medicine in the garage were described as unsanitary.
Mick Deats, MHRA Head of Enforcement, said: “While websites such as these may look professional, what we see behind the scenes tells a very different story. These unlicensed medicines were being sold from a mechanic’s garage which means they risk additional contamination due to the unsanitary conditions in which they were stored.
“Anyone considering taking medication for erectile dysfunction (ED) should consult a healthcare professional so that the right diagnosis can be made as this could be a symptom of a more serious medical condition.
“The unlawful sale of medicines, including those to treat ED, poses a serious threat to public health and today’s sentence reflects the nature and gravity of this crime.”