Antoine Christopher Kolias, 31, was sentenced on Friday, June 28, to three and a half years in prison. The sentencing follows a CEU investigation, Operation Bentley,

which revealed that Kolias was distributing for an established unlicensed medicines dealer and running his own unlicensed medicines business. He sold quantities of sildenafil citrate (the active ingredient in Viagra) as well as Class C drugs tramadol, zopiclone, and pregabalin from summer 2018 to October 2019 and again between 2020 and 2021.

During a three-week trial at Southwark Crown Court, it was revealed that after his initial arrest, Kolias began selling products containing sildenafil on Amazon and eBay, falsely marketing them as a "100% natural remedy" and "risk-free." He created and designed his own packaging, branding the products as Vital-X, VigoreX, and Vowex.

Kolias’ illegal activities were discovered after a series of parcels were intercepted by UK Border Force officers during routine checks at airports and postal facilities. In October 2019, warrants were executed at two residential addresses and two storage facilities connected to Kolias in North London and Manchester. During a search of the London address, CEU officers found 97,000 tablets, including treatments for erectile dysfunction and Class C drugs tramadol and zopiclone.

Despite being on bail after the seizure of medicines at the London property, Kolias resumed his unlicensed medicines business. UK Border Force intercepted four additional parcels from China, containing over 170,000 doses, destined for his sister’s address. He re-established his Amazon sales platform under a friend’s name, continuing to sell products containing sildenafil citrate branded as ‘Evoxa’ and marketed as a "100% natural remedy" and "risk-free."

The MHRA advises the public to be cautious when purchasing medicines online, emphasizing that medicines are not ordinary consumer goods and their sale is tightly regulated. Websites offering prescription medicines without a prescription are not only illegal but also pose significant health risks.

Criminals use various tactics to sell medicines illegally online, including creating websites that mimic legitimate pharmacies or online retailers, and advertising on online marketplaces or social media sites.

For safe online purchasing of medicines or medical devices, visit the #FakeMeds website for tools and resources. Photo by MorgueFile, Wikimedia commons.