Police arrest 70-year-old over tainted herbal coffee
HK01 · 3 SOURCES1 day ago2 MIN
Summary
A 70-year-old man was arrested on September 10 in a joint operation by the Department of Health and police over the suspected illegal sale and possession of an instant coffee product containing sildenafil, a Part 1 poison under Hong Kong law. The product, sold in Sham Shui Po as “Natural Herbs Coffee Kopi Panggung AL-Ambiak”, was also suspected to be an unregistered pharmaceutical product.
Key Points
- The Department of Health said it had earlier received a report and bought the product from a premises in Sham Shui Po for follow-up investigation.
- Government laboratory testing found the sample contained sildenafil, the active ingredient used in erectile dysfunction medicine, but the ingredient was not declared on the product.
- Sildenafil is a prescription medicine and a Part 1 poison, which may only be bought in a pharmacy under a registered pharmacist’s supervision with a doctor’s prescription.
- Reported side effects include low blood pressure, headache, vomiting, dizziness and temporary blurred vision, while drug interactions may lower blood pressure to dangerous levels.
- The Department of Health asked members of the public to stop taking the coffee immediately and submit it to its Drug Office at Room 4105, 41/F, Revenue Tower, 5 Gloucester Road, Wan Chai.
Why It Matters
The case underlines the health risks of products marketed as “natural” supplements when they contain undeclared prescription drugs, especially for people with heart conditions or those taking interacting medicines. The Department of Health said illegal sale or possession of Part 1 poisons or unregistered pharmaceutical products is a criminal offence, each carrying a maximum penalty of a HK$100,000 fine and two years’ imprisonment upon conviction.