A Lithuanian woman has been convicted of selling illegal prescription medicines from her convenience food store.

Birute Sliogeriene (54) was fined £150 plus a £15 levy at Armagh Magistrates' Court.

The defendant pleaded guilty to three charges concerning the sale of unauthorised pharmacy and prescription-only medicines over a 12 month-period between 2014 and 2015.

The court heard that enforcement officers from the Department of Health's Medicines Regulatory Group visited the Upper English Street shop in Armagh in September 2015, seizing more than 2,500 tablets on open sale.

The medicines recovered were of Lithuanian and Russian origin and included pills for the treatment of infections and heart conditions and for pain relief.

Peter Moore, senior medicines enforcement officer with the Department of Health said: "If you buy medicines from unregulated high street sources like this, you very well may be receiving a product that is unlicensed, fake or could react adversely with any other medication you take.

"People should only take prescription-only medicines after an appropriate consultation with their GP or other healthcare professional, and they should also source them from a registered pharmacy."

Professor Mike Mawhinney, head of the Medicines Regulatory Group, added: "The range of medicines on offer for sale in this case poses a significant risk to public health.

"The department will continue to be vigilant and proactive in the regulation of medicines and maintaining public safety.

"To this end, we will continue to conduct further inspections across Northern Ireland and take action where necessary."