The Tel Aviv Public Prosecution has successfully tried a ring of counterfeit impotent pill distributors under the Criminal Code.
In a plea bargain the first two defendants admitted importing fake Viagra over the Internet and selling it as genuine Pfizer impotence pills.
Judge Hadassa Naor over-ruled an opinion from the Assessment Service that recommended rehabilitation, and sentenced them to 16 months in prison, with a further 8 months suspended on condition that they do not repeat their crimes for 3 years. In addition, they were fined of 50,000 NIS (about $14,000).
Naor considered the public interest to put the perpetrators behind bars as over-riding rehabilitation considerations since she considered fake Viagra, taken without a prescription, potentially life threateningly dangerous. The defendants have 45 days to appeal.
