A Wokingham man has appeared in court for drug supply after a US pharmaceutical company spotted that one of their products was being sold on the dark web.

Kevin Richardson, who is listed on Companies House as the former director of a debt collection company, was arrested after a “large scale investigation” involving American drug enforcement authorities carrying out test purchases from a site he allegedly controlled.

Prosecutor Emily Hodge said: “This case concerns the selling of controlled drugs on via the dark web. This defendant set up a website on the dark web offering to supply controlled drugs.

“In February 2021, a pharmaceutical company in the United States became aware one of its products was being sold illegally on the internet.”

It is alleged the 57 year old, of Station Road, was operating as a vendor under a codename. 

Ms Hodge said the pharmaceutical company “undertook a test purchase and received what appeared to be a genuine product which originated in the UK”.

It notified US drug enforcement authorities which in turn undertook four more test purchases and received four packages of heroin from the online vendor. 

Authorities in the UK were notified in turn and they also carried out four test purchases, after which they received three packages of diazepam and one package of morphine.

Richardson is charged with four counts of being concerned in a fraudulent evasion of the prohibition on exportation of morphine, on dates ranging between March 4 2021 and June 9 2021.

He is also charged with a count of supplying a class A drug and three counts of supplying a controlled drug of class C, to a purchaser called ‘Mollie’ between August 10 and 14 2021.

Richardson was further charged with one count of offering to supply a class C drug and one count of offering to supply a class A drug on February 1 2021 and April 27 2022.

He was also charged with five counts of possession with intent to supply a class C drug on April 26 2022.

The defendant did not enter a plea to any of the offences and the case was sent to Reading Crown Court for him to formally enter a plea.