Head of Hong Kong fake drugs syndicate faces extradition to US

Deutsche Presse Agentur
Published: Saturday September 23, 2006

Hong Kong- A man allegedly to be kingpin of a trans- national syndicate selling fake drugs via the internet is likely to be extradited to faces charges in the United State, police in Hong Kong said Saturday. The 27-year-old Chinese mainlander was arrested on Thursday at a Hong Kong hotel as he met undercover customs agents posing as potential buyers.

Police said he is alleged to have been behind the worldwide sale and distribution of 400,000 fake tablets, mainly Viagra and Cialis erectile disfunction drugs, with a value of 4.4 million US dollars.

He is also alleged to have sold counterfeits of the anti-flu drug Tamiflu. Some contained active ingredients, but others did not.

The arrest follows an investigation by customs police in Hong Kong and in the United States.

The man has been wanted by US police for about three months after three US citizens and a large quantity of the fake drugs were seized in raids in several US cities.

Head of the Customs Drug Investigation Bureau Ben Leung said the man had travelled around the world posing as a businessman with different names and travel documents.

He said the man had not been charged but was likely to be extradited to the US to face charges of trafficking in fake goods, smuggling or conspiracy to commit an offence or fraud.

In the first eight months of this year, customs officers seized 16,547 counterfeit Viagra pills, compared to 4,606 last year, and 16,295 in 2004. They also seized 2,054 Cialis pills in the first eight months of this year, 134 pills last year and 5,437 in 2004.

© 2006 DPA - Deutsche Presse-Agenteur