Falsified Viagra seized by customs in Puerto Rico

Hundreds of fake Viagra tablets have been seized by customs officers in Puerto Rico.

There were 960 knock-off tablets of Pfizer’s big-selling erectile dysfunction medicine in the shipment, worth around $68,000 at the genuine product’s price, according to Customs and Border Protection (CBP).

The fakes appeared to be counterfeit copies of genuine Viagra (sildenafil), with similar tablet shape and colouring as well as blister packaging.

Viagra and other ED drugs have been a perennial target for counterfeiters, seeking to cash in on the reluctance of some men to approach their doctors for a prescription.

Freer access – for example as an over-the-counter medicine – has alleviated that issue but there is still clearly a massive demand for the drug via illicit channels, with unwary purchasers often assuming products sold from unlicensed pharmacies are genuine and safe.

There have been reports of increasing use of ED drugs by young men seeking to improve sexual performance, or to offset the libido-sapping effects of some recreational drugs.