A man has been convicted for selling counterfeit versions of Viagra and misoprostol, the MHRA has announced.

The medicines watchdog said 29-year-old Dmitrij Selkov, of Copperfield Road in Ipswich, was sentenced to 12 months in prison - suspended for two years - at Southwark Crown Court last week (June 11). Lithuanian Mr Selkov was also ordered to pay a £1,000 fine and £1,500 in court costs for his role selling counterfeit and prescription-only medicines, it said.

The court had ordered the destruction of the drugs in Mr Selkov’s possession, including erectile dysfunction medication and misoprostol, which is used in legal pregnancy terminations, the MHRA said. Misoprostol can only be legally supplied by a registered facility such as a hospital or clinic, it stressed.

The drugs sold by Mr Selkov often contained “too much or too little” active ingredient, with some containing “none at all”, said MHRA head of enforcement Alastair Jeffrey. “At worst, they can contain dangerous adulterants which have potentially very serious consequences for patients,” he said.

Mr Selkov was “motivated by profit” and had shown “scant regard for the health of his customers”, Mr Jeffrey added.

A registered high street or online pharmacy was the safest place for patients to obtain medicines, the MHRA said.

Last month, the MHRA announced that the final member of a 12-strong gang that sold unlicensed erectile dysfunction drugs online had been convicted.

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