LAS VEGAS -- A Las Vegas woman was arrested Monday morning on federal fraud charges for falsely advertising and distributing on her Web site an “herbal” alternative to street drugs.

The alternative was actually an active ingredient in cough syrup and a known drug of abuse among teenagers and young adults, said U.S. attorney for the district of Nevada Greg Brower.

Yamila Abraham, 34, was arrested at her residence in Las Vegas. She was charged with a criminal indictment with seven counts of mail fraud, one count of misbranding a drug, one count of introducing goods into U.S. commerce by means of false statements and criminal forfeiture.

From about January 2004 to August 2006, Abraham allegedly operated a Web site called www.Pleasureherbs.com, which falsely and fraudulently offered for sale “herbal” alternatives to recreational street drugs, including a product known as “Snurf.” Abraham represented that “Snurf” is “the long awaited pill form of 10X extractions of Fevizia, Palenzia and De la Amazon. Each tablet contains 500 mg of these herbal extractions per pill,” Brower said.

In reality, “Snurf” contains no herbal supplements, but rather exclusively contains dextromethorphan hydrobromide, which is a stimulant and the active ingredient in over-the-counter cough suppressants. The amounts of DXM in “Snurf” far exceeded the FDA’s recommended dosage for cough suppression. The indictment alleges that the labeling of the “Snurf” was false and misleading and did not bear adequate directions for use or adequate warnings against use. Abraham purchased DXM in bulk from sources around the country and caused it to be repackaged in capsules for sale as “Snurf,” Brower said.

The indictment alleges that on May 25, 2005, Abraham fraudulently entered into U.S. commerce approximately 20,000 tablets containing DXM by stating that the packaged contained 20,000 tablets of vitamin B-12. The indictment further alleges that between November 22, 2005, and May 1, 2006, Abraham mailed seven packages of “Snurf,” from Las Vegas to several locations in California and to Springfield, Ill., and Indianapolis, Ind.

If convicted, Abraham faces up to 20 years in prison and a $250,000 fine on each mail fraud count, up to one year in prison and a $250,000 fine on the drug misbranding count, and up to two years in prison and a $250,000 fine on the introduction of goods into commerce by false statements count. The Government also seeks forfeiture of properties of the defendant from the proceeds of the crimes of up to $186,680, as well as 20,000 tablets of DXM and any equipment used by the defendant to make counterfeit drugs, Brower said.