An unnamed 40-year-old South Korean citizen who arrived at Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) on January 6, 2012 with two carry-on bags containing pharmaceutical ingredients for the erectile dysfunction (ED) drug Cialis cannot be located by U.S. Customs officials, according to reports published by CBS News, MSNBC, KTLA-TV Los Angeles, and other news agencies updated on Saturday, January 14, 2012.
Jaime Ruiz with the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CPB) said that the seizure of a dozen sealed plastic bags weighing 63 pounds containing a powdery substance which the passenger claimed were Chinese herbs, were reported by toxicology tests to actually be Tadalafil, the active chemical ingredient in Cialis, a prescription medication made by the pharmaceutical firm of Eli Lilly and Company, headquartered in Indianapolis, Indiana, as seen in the attached slide show and video clip which accompany this report.
The unknown substance had been field tested at the port of entry by Customs officials, but proved negative for narcotics.
It is against the law, however, to import such medications into the United States without a permit from the federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
When authorities tried to locate the passenger at a downtown Los Angeles hotel, the address he provided to Customs officials, they found that he had already checked out without leaving a forwarding address.
According to Customs Agent Ruiz, the commercial value of the seized products amounted to $179,000.
"We've seen small quantities before, but we've never seen 63 pounds," said Agent Ruiz.
The Food and Drug Administration approved tadalafil (Cialis), for sale in the United States as the third ED prescription drug pill, after sildenafil citrate (Viagra) and vardenafil (Levitra) on November 21, 2003.
Tadalafil has been used by over 8 million men worldwide. The most common side effects when using tadalafil to combat erectile dysfunction are headache, indigestion, back pain, muscle aches, flushing, and stuffy or runny nose.
The medication is taken as a 10 mg low dosage daily tablet, or a single 20 mg pill used when needed, that is effective in helping men to maintain an erection for up to 36-hours.
A check of an online pharmacy revealed that the cost of tadalafil varies between $2.03 to $4.75 per tablet, depending on quantity and dosage. For example, thirty 20 mg pills of tadalafil sell for $82.95, but the unit cost declines if larger amounts are ordered.
A report about the product in The New York Times on April 25, 2004 states that "The continuous presence of women in Cialis ads is a subtle signal that the drug makes it easier for them to set the pace with their men, in contrast to the primarily male-driven imagery for Levitra and Viagra. Couples in bathtubs and the slogan 'When the moment is right, will you be ready?' have been iconic themes used in Cialis ads."
Federal agents claim that they were correct in releasing the suspicious passenger when the medications he was attempting to bring into the United States were confiscated for testing because his identity and visa records had been entered into the Customs database, and that he will eventually be apprehended should he ever attempt to re-enter the country.
The penalties for such a crime appear to be relatively minor.
Passengers trying to enter the United States with prohibited food items, such as seeds, could be fined the minimum amount of $300 for lying to Customs and Border Patrol officers.
U.S. Customs officials have intercepted everything from exotic animals, including lizards, snakes, and tropical birds to narcotics and other controlled substances at LAX and other ports of entry, but a huge shipment of Cialis is very unusual.
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