Fake Viagra among 18 tons burned by Customs

Shanghai Customs destroyed more than 18 tons of confiscated goods including expired foods, fake drugs and counterfeit products at a plant in Qingpu District yesterday morning.

More than 27,700 fake Viagra pills and 10.4 tons of moldy cassava chips were moved from a truck and poured into an incinerator about 10am. The incinerator, made to burn industrial waste and minimize environmental impacts, has a capacity of 25 tons.

Other items included silkworm cocoons, fake Chanel cosmetics and 680 counterfeit Shanghai World Expo passports, a popular souvenir among visitors with seals of different pavilions of participating countries during the 2010 event.

Ye Jing, a Customs official, said all the goods were expected to be burned into ashes in 10 hours.

"The number of fake Viagra pills that have been destroyed this time is the biggest in the history of Shanghai Customs," Ye said. The pills were detected as counterfeit in an inspection before they were sent abroad by mail.

According to Ye, officials decided to destroy confiscated goods like expired foods, fake drugs and counterfeit products because they had little value and could cause food safety problems and trademark infringement.

Customs will dispose of more valuable smuggled goods in a public auction. One set at the Shanghai Public Resources Auction Center at 2pm tomorrow will include six cars - three Mercedes-Benzes, an Audi, a Cadillac, and a Mini Cooper - and goods with brands such as LV, Hermes, Gucci and Burberry.