VIAGRA is now Britain’s biggest knock-off drug with counterfeits worth more than £6.2million seized last year.
Even more of the fake little blue pills were impounded than copies of addictive painkillers morphine and tramadol.
Health chiefs warn dodgy online chemists are selling huge quantities of erectile dysfunction medicines.
Most are imported from India and South East Asia without a licence.
The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency said investigators and police last year confiscated 2.6million doses of unlicensed sildenafil, sold under the name Viagra, worth £6.2million.
They also found 507,000 doses of dodgy tadalafil, brand name Cialis, worth £1.2million.
Andy Morling, head of enforcement at the MHRA, said: “Erectile dysfunction drugs are available over the counter now but there’s still an illegal trade. The branded products are more expensive to buy and I think there is still an embarrassment factor.”
Packs sold in shops and pharmacists go through strict quality control to make sure they are safe and effective.
Mr Morling added: “Online is the new front line — this is almost exclusively an online trade.
“There are tens of thousands of websites globally and many of them sell in sterling and ship to the UK.”
TV pharmacist Thorrun Govind said: “Fake medicines may not contain any of the active ingredients and may contain ingredients which are damaging to your health. Always buy medication from a registered pharmacy.”
The MHRA seized 15.5million illegal medicine doses in 2023, worth £30million.
After erection pills, the most common were benzodiazepine painkillers and sedatives
