Alcohol Manufacturer Adds Viagra to Drinks

Huang's alcoholic drinks with rogue ingredient (Picture: Reuters)

A Chinese alcohol manufacturer has been arrested for ‘improving’ his drinks with Viagra in order to trigger a rise in his profits.

The "entrepreneur" known only as Mr Huang, the liquor maker was unable to continue the illegal practice after his customers noticed the unusual side-effect of drinking the spirits. The drinks were marketed by Nine Springs Ecological Agriculture Development Company in Hubei province, as ‘nutritional healthy liquor’ and sold at prices of up to 60 yuan (£5.85) per bottle.

The company was said to have purchased 1kg of Sildenafil – marketed as Viagra and Revatio – on the internet in January and added it to his alcoholic beverages without mentioning it on the label, Huang said his motivation was to ‘increase alcohol sales and make money fast’, according to CNA.

Huang admitted he knew that it was against the law and may have to take a long, hard look at his business methods in future. It is unknown whether sales of Huang’s alcohol rose during the period that the Sildenafil was added.