Viagra found in Chinese alcohol

Police are investigating two distillers in Guangxi Province over allegations that they added Viagra to bottles of baijiu.

Sildenafil or Viagra was found in bottles of baijiu, according to investigators

Sildenafil, better known as anti-impotence drug Viagra was found recently in three baijiu products at the Guikin Alcohol Plant and Deshun Alcohol Plant in the city of Luizhou, Guangxi Province.

As reported by Reuters, more than 5,300 bottles of alcohol were seized by the investigators who also found packets of Sildenafil in powder form. They said the haul was worth up to 700,000 yuan (£72,000).

The Liuzhou Food and Drug Administration said that the powder was added to three different types of baijiu – a strong, clear spirit that is China’s most popular drink, and that the labels on the bottles boasted the alcohol’s “health-preserving qualities.”

Viagra is banned as a food additive in China and is not suitable for people with cardiovascular problems.

It is not the first case in which Viagra has been added to baijiu liquor in China. Last year, a businessman from central China’s Hubei Province was detained for the same offence.