A US resident has been charged with trafficking counterfeit erectile dysfunction pills, the government has revealed.
The US Department of Justice (DoJ) said Boston resident Ricky Lugo was charged on October 6 with four counts of trafficking.
Lugo had allegedly trafficked counterfeit versions of Pfizer’s Viagra (sildenafil), Eli Lilly’s Cialis (tadalafil) and Bayer’s Levitra (vardenafil), all erectile dysfunction pills. He sold the drugs, purchased from sources outside the US, on classified advertisements website Craigslist and in person.
If found guilty, Lugo could face up to 20 years in prison or a fine of $5 million per infringement, the DoJ said.
Matthew Etre, special agent in charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Boston, said: “Importing, selling or purchasing counterfeit products isn’t a victimless crime.”