A businessman who spent 16 years as a fugitive in Pakistan after being convicted for a multi-million-pound counterfeit Viagra operation has returned to the UK and is now receiving taxpayer-funded NHS care and benefits.
The Scam and Flight from Justice
Zahid Mirza, 65, from Ilford in East London, was a key figure in what was once Britain's most extensive counterfeit medicines conspiracy. The operation involved sourcing fake Viagra and Cialis tablets from illicit factories in China and Pakistan for as little as 25p each, before selling them online for up to £20 per pill.
The sophisticated scheme used forged packaging and labels so convincing that experts said only a trained eye could spot the fakes. The network spanned several countries, including the UK, USA, the Bahamas, and Mexico.
Mirza fled to Pakistan just days before being found guilty in 2007 on five counts of selling fake medicine and one of selling medicine without a licence. He was subsequently jailed in absentia for two and a half years.
Return to Claim Care and Benefits
After his health deteriorated in 2020, Mirza returned to Britain in 2023. He was sentenced to an additional three months in prison for absconding but was released the following year.
He is now living in a council-funded care home in Ilford and is in receipt of Universal Credit. The NHS is providing treatment for his multiple, complex health issues, and he is on a waiting list for dialysis—a treatment that costs approximately £34,000 per patient annually.
This support is being provided despite Mirza having failed to pay a confiscation order related to his crimes. Originally ordered to repay £1.8m, the total owed with interest now stands at a staggering £3,243,551.38. While £408,000 was recovered from the sale of his two Ilford homes, authorities believe he has hidden other assets.
High Court Rejects Appeal
Mirza recently applied to the High Court to set aside the confiscation order, claiming he had no realisable assets left and was too ill to work. However, Mr Justice Soole dismissed his application, describing Mirza as a "most unsatisfactory and unreliable witness."
The judge noted Mirza had failed to account for what happened to his other assets and found his denials unpersuasive. The ruling means the substantial debt to the state remains outstanding.
Mirza's trial heard that the counterfeit pills contained around 90% of the normal active ingredient. While some customers complained the tablets were ineffective or caused nausea, others spent large sums unaware they were purchasing dangerous fakes.
The case, investigated by the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), also saw convictions for Gary Haywood from Leicester and student Ashwin Patel from north London.
