Online pharmacy

Google and Microsoft announced their support for a new non-for-profit outfit created to join the Obama administration's effort to crackdown on illegal internet pharmacies. The alliance is comprised of companies that service "choke points" on the Internet including Yahoo, MasterCard, Visa, American Express, GoDaddy, Neustar, eNom, and Paypal. It is being formed in response to the President's call for private efforts to police online drug peddlers.

Google is legally fighting with illicit pharmacy dealers that market medicines on its ad network. Google hopes that apart from pursuing the violators its move also serves as a deterrent against other illegal medicine peddlers.

Google has struggled with the problem for years, Michael Zwibelman, a Google litigation counsel, said in a blog post.

 The "No. 1 worst spam gang" on the Internet was ordered by a U.S. district court judge to pay US$15.2 million for sending unsolicited e-mail messages marketing male-enhancement pills, prescription drugs and weight-loss supplements.

Australian resident Lance Atkinson, the spam ring's leader, has paid more than $80,000 to New Zealand authorities after confirming his involvement in the spam network, and accomplice Jody Smith, a U.S. resident, has agreed to an order that he turn over nearly all his assets to the FTC, the agency said.