Google, the internet search engine giant, has agreed to forfeit $500 million (£306 million) for publishing online adverts from Canadian pharmacies selling illegal drugs to US consumers, wireless communication device users may be interested to know.
The firm will, therefore, avoid criminal prosecution in the US for profiting from the adverts.
Google conceded it should not have allowed the adverts, saying: “"We banned the advertising of prescription drugs in the US by Canadian pharmacies some time ago.”
The short statement added: "However, it's obvious with hindsight that we should not have allowed these ads on Google in the first place."
The US Justice Department, meanwhile, acknowledged that controls over selling the drugs were inadequate.
Further to this, the department observed that the higher price of the drugs reflected the fact that some could be bought without a doctor's prescription.
The fine is based on the firm's revenues from the adverts and the revenues generated from the sale of the drugs, investigators confirmed.