Fake 'Vitamin V'

The general manager of a private chemical company based in Shanghai has been charged with selling thousands of bogus Viagra tablets to overseas customers over the Internet, a Shanghai Daily report said.

Yu Bohuai, 33, was arrested last June. The Shanghai No 2 Intermediate People's Court held a first hearing earlier this month. A judge in charge of the case said Yu faced charges of illegal business operation, selling fake medicines and intellectual property infringement.

Yu, general manager of Shanghai Daishang Chemicals Co, is accused of selling fake Viagra tablets to overseas buyers in four deals that were completed in March 2006 and May last year.

He is alleged to have sold a total of 14,030 tablets, with the last transaction the largest, involving 8,000 pills. The court heard Yu sold the tablets for US$1.20 or US$1.50 to his overseas clients. It is alleged he bought all the blue pills from a man who went by the pseudonym "Xu Dong," for five yuan per pill. "Xu Dong" has been identified as Ou Yong by the police. Police have not revealed any further information.

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