A couple from Gateshead is set to appear in court after police seized a stash of Viagra and Class C drugs worth an estimated £500,000. The pair, a 58-year-old man and a 56-year-old woman, were arrested last summer following raids on two properties.
Officers recovered 63 boxes containing 226,882 Viagra pills and 24,920 Class C tablets, along with more than £10,000 in cash and two vehicles valued at £22,000. Additionally, over £201,000 in assets and money linked to the couple has been frozen under the Proceeds of Crime Act.
The couple has been summonsed to appear before South Tyneside Magistrates' Court in July, facing a total of nine charges. These include importation and conspiracy to supply Class C drugs, as well as money laundering.
Detective Chief Inspector Steve Pescod of Northumbria Police warned: “Criminals who make money from selling drugs and illicit substances should be warned that the law will catch up with them. Viagra can only be sold in a registered pharmacy – purchasing this item from anywhere else could ultimately endanger lives.”
The investigation was conducted under Operation Sentinel, Northumbria Police's initiative to tackle serious and organised crime. The force is working with the Medicines and Healthcare Regulatory Agency to combat illegal drug sales.
