Source of Supply : Illegal health products are often obtained through dubious channels such as makeshift stalls in back alleys of red light districts, peddlers who loiter around coffee shops or hawker centres, unsolicited spam mails, over Internet websites, discussion forums, web-blogs and auction sites.
Cost : Illegal health products may be offered at low and affordable prices, much cheaper than the real products in order to entice buyers.
Product Packaging : With the advancement in modern printing technology, it may be a challenge to identify an illegal health product merely by its physical appearance. They may look similar to the genuine prescription drugs obtained from legitimate clinics or pharmacies but are found to be counterfeits. Others claim to be “100% natural” or “100% herbal”, but are found to be adulterated.
In general, consumers should not rely on the product's packaging to ascertain if a product is illegal, since such products can be presented in all sorts and forms. The product safety and quality cannot be ascertained by looking at the packaging. The best way for consumers to avoid subjecting themselves to unnecessary health risks would be to strictly refrain from buying these products from dubious sources.