Over 3,200 Viagra Pills for Traveler’s ‘Friends’ Seized at Chicago Airport

Amy Furr

A man allegedly attempted to go through customs at Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport Thursday carrying 3,200 erectile dysfunction pills he claimed were for his friends.

“The nine pounds of pills, worth nearly $100,000, were a generic Viagra brand sold over the counter in India, according to U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP),” ABC 7 reported.

Agents seized the pills Thursday upon the passenger’s return from India. When agents asked the man why he had the tablets, he said they were for his friends.

“Officials said prescription medications manufactured in non-regulated foreign companies often contain dangerous contaminants or ineffective compounds,” WGN 9 reported.

No charges were filed regarding the incident, and the passenger later boarded another flight to Savannah, Georgia.

“Our inspecting officers have the daunting tasks of inspecting items passengers are trying to bring into the U.S.,” said Shane Campbell, area port director for CBP in Chicago.

“Some passengers try to hide some of their items from our officers, which could prove to be a [sic] dangerous. In this instance, our officers found these pills and prevented them from entering the U.S. and harming our community,” Campbell noted.

On January 7, Cincinnati CBP officers seized more than 33 pounds of Viagra pills that were going to be shipped to someone in Brooklyn, New York, the agency said in a press release.

“If genuine, the pills would have had an estimated manufacturer’s suggested retail price (MSRP) of approximately $238,050,” the release continued:

The bottles had labels stating they were made in the USA, but those claims are suspect as the pills were being imported from the Middle East with potential ties to Hong Kong and China.

Medications purchased from online sources can be improperly produced without pharmacological specifications and safeguards that ensure the protection of human health. Prescription medications manufactured in non-regulated foreign companies often contain dangerous contaminants or ineffective compounds, and though their packaging and labelling can be similar to genuine products, inconsistent ingredients and sub-par quality controls can endanger the consumer.

CBP Chicago tweeted photos of the pills in question on January 21:

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