Authorities Bust Drug Counterfeiters Operating in Austria, Hungary, Great Britain

The public prosecutor’s office in Vienna has brought charges against six members of an organized criminal network involved in distribution of counterfeit medicines, mainly erectile dysfunction pills.

The criminal group operated in Austria, Hungary and Great Britain. They have distributed fake Viagra, Cialis and Levitra through 50 illegal online pharmacies since September 2012, making a profit of several million euros.

The leader of the gang, a 37-year-old Israeli man, his brother, his sister and her partner, an old friend and his acquaintance have been charged with drug offenses, money laundering and fraud. The Isreali man and three other suspects have confessed to the crime. One suspect has admitted earning more than EUR 9,000 (USD 11,000) per month from the medicine counterfeiting business.

The Austrian authorities have reportedly confiscated 285,000 pills, which have been posted in 18,000 envelopes. They estimated the cost of one pill to be EUR 7 (USD 9).

Prepared by: Csilla Balogh

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Source: Magyar Nemzet (Hungarian daily newspaper) online portal