A FRAUDSTER who tried to sell a fake cure for coronavirus has been sentenced.

Frank Ludlow made counterfeit treatment kits and was using his Post Office in Sussex to send them around the world.

United States border officials blocked a package labelled as “anti-pathogenic treatment” on the envelopes which were sent to California, sparking a worldwide investigation into the fraud.

Ludlow, 59, had put 60 separate “treatment kits” for coronavirus in the package.

The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) rules the kits were not an approved drug and alerted the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) in the UK.

Previously police said the kits were thought to contain potassium thiocyanate and hydrogen peroxide, both of which are extremely harmful chemicals.

Instructions told to wash and rinse their mouth with them.

In court it was also revealed that Ludlow had contacted international governments about the coronavirus kits.

At Portsmouth Crown Court he admitted attempting to supply an unauthorised medicinal product, possessing an unauthorised medicinal product, and assembling an unauthorised medicinal product.

Ludlow, of East Marden, was given a ten-month suspended prison sentence.

Officers Police are awaiting the results of forensic testing on the kits to determine exactly how dangerous they are.

They arrested Ludlow at a Post Office near his home, attempting to send 60 more fake kits ot France, the USA and other parts of the UK.

During a search of his home officers found 300 more coronavirus kits and 20 litres of chemicals.

City of London Police Detective Chief Superintendent Clinton Blackburn said: “Fraudsters are constantly looking for ways in which they can exploit people, including using global emergencies, and times of uncertainty for many, to defraud people out of their money.

“While police have taken swift action to arrest this individual, we believe some of these kits may still be in circulation.”

MHRA enforcement operations chief Tariq Sarwar said: “This joint cooperation and intervention with the City of London Police and the FDA resulted in products claiming to be COVID-19 treatment kits being taken out of circulation, that otherwise could have endangered patients’ health.”

Anyone who may have purchased kit is asked to report it to Action Fraud online or call 0300 123 2040 and quote Trinity CV19 treatment kits.