Fake Viagra man told to pay £14m

A man who sold counterfeit medicines, including Viagra, has been told to hand over more than £14m by Southwark Crown Court. He kept customer's details in a folder entitled the "Thick People File". The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) said it was the largest confiscation order against a dealer in fake medicines. Simon Hickman, from Tameside in Manchester, was sentenced to two years in jail in June 2009. He ran an illegal online pharmacy which sold counterfeit and unlicensed drugs for erectile dysfunction. A six year investigation by the MHRA and the North West Regional Asset Recovery Team uncovered a lavish lifestyle involving luxury cars and properties. The court found that he made £15.4m from his dealings and ordered him to pay £14.4m. He has been given six months to pay. Danny Lee-Frost, the head of operations, enforcement at the MHRA, said: "The granting of this order today demonstrates the MHRA's commitment to ensuring that those responsible for the sale and supply of fake and unlicensed medicines will not benefit from their criminality. "Fake medicines can be dangerous and the MHRA are determined to protect patients." From: BBC