State agents with the Division of Alcoholic Beverages and Tobacco arrested three gas station employees for selling male enhancement "supplements" with hidden ingredients.
According to search warrants of two gas stations, lab results found the same active ingredients that are found in prescription medication for erectile dysfunction.
The owner of the Quick Mart at 8145 West Waters Avenue, Sabrina Akhtar, and her husband, Sadiqul Islam were both arrested for selling the supplements.
"We sell it as like Tylenol, all kind of medicine. They (the vendors who we buy it from) said it was herbal stuff, natural product." Islam said. "It's been years in our store, we sell it. They never tell us (it's not legal)."
Irfan Ahmed, who works at the Sunoco at 4714 Causeway Boulevard, was arrested on the same charges. He had the same story as Islam. He also said his store buys from the same vendor as Islam's store.
ABC Action News found several other gas stations selling the same supplements across Tampa Bay. The packages all claim the pills are natural or herbal. The vast majority of the ingredients on the label are listed as "Proprietary Blend."
According to the FDA, supplements containing hidden ingredients are a growing trend. The FDA warns that people with certain health conditions and on certain medications could have dangerous reactions to the hidden ingredients.
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