20 people have been apprehended by Hainan police in connection to the use of banned chemicals within a counterfeit drugs racket that is thought to be worth 80 million yuan (US$12.69 million). The gang are said to have been led by a male surnamed ‘Wang’, who oversaw the manufacture and trade of over 40 fake health products in Haikou City, capital of southern China’s Hainan Province. Another member of the gang, surnamed ‘Zhang’, has claimed that they produced the fake pills at 0.2 yuan each and then sold them for 0.5 yuan. The counterfeit goods were previously distributed and sold online to 13 different provinces and cities around China, including Guangdong, Hebei, and Hubei. It has been disclosed that police swooped on 5 illegal workshops and seized over 5 million illegal capsules, and 200,000 packaging items. These included fake trademarks, pill boxes, and ironically - anti-counterfeiting labels. Packaging stated that the products were made with natural ingredients and were beneficial for kidney function, treating high blood pressure, heart disease, and for enhancing men’s sexual performance. However after tests were conducted, it was found that 27 of the 29 different products seized, contained traces of sildenafil and tadalafil. These are the active ingredients in Viagra and Cialis respectively, both prescription only erectile dysfunction medications. The ingredients are not authorised to be used in health products as patients require relevant medical checks to sustain if they are suitable to take them. A Hainan police officer named Liu Yunqiu has commented on the arrests – “The function of the banned chemicals led buyers to believe the fake products were as ‘effective’ as claimed”. He also said that if anybody were to ovordose on the fake products, it could prove fatal for those with high blood pressure and cardiovascular disease. We can assure you of security, confidentiality, and peace of mind at Medical Specialists. We provide our patients with genuine branded medication only, available with or without a prescription, or browse our chemist shop for a wide range of other products such as condoms and weight loss medication. We now offer even lower prices on Viagra, Cialis, Levitra, Retin-A Gel, Dianette, and much more.