A direct-selling company marketed a coffee mixture with a secret ingredient which guaranteed to "perk up" drinkers. The secret ingredient was sildenafil, more popularly known as Viagra.
Enforcement officers from the Health Ministry recently raided the direct-selling company in Gombak. A medical examination is required, along with a doctor's recommendation, before men who are suffering from erectile dysfunction are allowed to purchase sildenafil or Viagra.
A ministry spokesman said: "The coffee mixture had been distributed in sachets nationwide. "Officers found 900 boxes containing more than 9,000 sachets of the coffee mixture which retailed for more than RM80 per box."
The company used individuals to distribute the product in small quantities to evade detection by authorities, he said. "Investigations revealed that the distributor attempted to mislead the public by claiming that the coffee mixture could provide an energy boost, besides being beneficial for men," the spokesman said.
If a coffee mixture is sold at a higher than normal price then it is almost certain to contain the sildenafil. "A coffee mixture containing the dangerous chemical is sold for between RM5 and RM10 per sachet compared with coffee mixtures which retail for between RM1 and RM2 per sachet," the spokesman said.
Sildenafil is a controlled substance because of the dangers it poses to those suffering from heart ailments and high blood pressure. Those who consume sildenafil without a doctor's prescription run the risk of headaches, stomach aches, hearing loss, vision impairment and muscle pain.
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