A man has appeared in court charged with making fake kits which claimed to treat Covid-19.
Frank Ludlow, 59, was arrested in a post office near his home in West Sussex on Friday, the City of London Police said.
He was arrested by the force’s Intellectual Property Crime Unit who were contacted by US counterparts after US customs officers in Los Angeles intercepted a package on Wednesday containing 60 fake kits labelled “Anti-Pathogenic treatment” and sent from the UK.
The kits allegedly contained harmful chemicals which people were being told to use to rinse their mouths with.
Police said the kits are thought to contain potassium thiocyanate and hydrogen peroxide, both of which are extremely harmful chemicals when the user is instructed to wash and rinse their mouth with them.
They are warning anyone who bought one of the kits not to use it.
Mr Ludlow has been charged with one count of fraud by false representation, one count of possession of articles for use in fraud and one count of unlawfully manufacturing a medicinal product.
He appeared before Brighton Magistrates’ Court on Saturday and was remanded in custody until 20 April, police said.
Police officers have urged people to only seek advice from a registered healthcare professional.
“If you have purchased one of these kits, itâs important you do not use it. Instead, report it to Action Fraud via their website www.actionfraud.police.uk or by calling 0300 123 2040 and quoting âTrinity CV19 treatment kitsâ.”
Tariq Sarwar, from the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency, also said people should only buy medicines they need from an authorised seller.
He added when buying online to beware of illegitimate websites and suspicious URLs.
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