Officials Bust Fake Diet Pill Ring

ANDOVER, N.J.The Bergen County, N.J., Prosecutors Office Criminal Investigation Division arrested two independent health food store owners for allegedly producing and distributing counterfeit products labeled and passed off as Stacker 2, an NVE Pharmaceuticals weight-loss product. Officials arrested Arun Datwani, owner of North Arlington, N.J.-based Roots Vitamin and Health Food Store, and Frank Huerta, owner of West New York, N.J.-based Nutricentro Health Food Store. From raids at both businesses, as well as the residences of the individuals arrested, officials seized approximately 5,000 bottles of counterfeit Stacker 2 with ephedra product, rolls of counterfeit labels and labeling equipment, and $3.5 million in alleged profits from the sale of the fake Stacker 2. It does look like Stacker 2 product, Bergen County Prosecutor John Molinelli said. Were told it is little bit more yellow than Stacker 2 product actually is.

In addition, a search warrant executed at Huertas residence turned up handguns, ammunition, a bulletproof vest, controlled dangerous substanceshundreds of drugs for which Huerta had no prescriptions, including Ecstacyand approximately $63,000 in cash.