The Ukmedix newsroom has received reports of a sizeable haul of anti-impotence seahorse powder being picked up by the Australian Customs Service. The seahorse powder which was illegally sent from Australia was picked up in New Zealand and a man from Sydney is likely to be sent to court where he may be liable to be charged for offences that carry a max 10 year prison sentence. The customs officials in Sydney launched a big raid on all the properties of the business that sent the seahorse powder to try and find more evidence and to see if they could seize other illegal goods. The New Zealand wildlife ministry were also involved in the operation.

It appears that the seahorse powder was shipped to Australia from the Chinese mainland and then was illegally sent to New Zealand without the neccessary authorisation. The powder from dried seahorses has been used for hundreds of years in traditional remedies for impotence and even with respiratory problems.

The trade in seahorses and derivatives of it are not strictly illegal but are bound by the rules of the Convention on International Trade of Endangered Species which stipulates that any trade activity must be registered and given approval before commencing. The rules are neccessary to stop the destruction of wildlife for financial gain and it is thought that the illegal trading in wildlife is thought to be the 3rd biggest black market in the world following arms and drugs.

On the positive side since the advent of Viagra, Cialis and Levitra into world markets and their proven effectiveness the demand for erectile dysfunction medicines made from rare and endangered species has fallen dramatically. Many of these traditional remedies have no proven sexual function benefits and often any benefit that is derived is purely due to a placebo effect.