• Gary Haywood was sentenced to six years.

• Zahid Mirza was sentenced to two and a half years in his absence, as he absconded after being found guilty on 29 August 2007. He remains at large and a warrant has been issued for his arrest.

• Ashwin Patel was sentenced to 18 months.

In sentencing, Judge Price said, “This is a case of greed motivated by immense profits. (Which are yet to be determined.) These sentences are designed to deter others from becoming involved in the lucrative business. The scale of enterprise was truly global and conducted with a total and cynical disregard for consumers.”

In sentencing of Gary Haywood, Judge Price said, “You were a deceitful, unscrupulous, determined and manipulative individual. You are not a man of hither to good character. You were heavily and actively engaged in what proved to be a very lucrative criminal enterprise. I have no doubt that had the raid on your premise not taken place, you would have continued in the business.”

In sentencing Ashwin Patel, Judge Price said, “You knew full well the potential consequences of your behaviour and were prepared to reap the financial benefits.”

In sentencing the absent Zahid Mirza, Judge Price said, “You were rightly described by the prosecution as a key player in this business.”

Mick Deats, Head of Enforcement at the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) said, “This is the biggest drugs counterfeiting case to be brought by the MHRA to date. The conviction of these individuals sends a clear message to those engaged in such criminal activity, which puts peoples’ lives at risk that we will not hesitate to use the full force of the law against them.

“We continue to remind the public that self prescribing of medicines via the internet is not only risky to their own health but is ultimately lining the pockets of criminals who are selling goods which have totally by-passed the legitimate supply chain and have the potential therefore at the very least to be ineffective and at worst they could kill”.