The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, NAFDAC, has threatened to clampdown on importers, distributors and marketers stocking banned regulated products just as it arrested three manufacturers of fake codeine cough syrup and wines in Delta State.
Addressing journalists in Lagos on its regulatory and enforcement activities, the Acting Director General of NAFDAC, Mrs. Yetunde Oni said the suspects; Mr. Chika Nwaemeka Nwoye and Mr. Ebuka Ojeani Nelson and Mr. Udoka Offor were also found to be in possession of fake cartoons of pharmaceutical products and packaging materials.
Oni explained that Mrs Chika Nwoye who is the marketing manager of Archy Pharmaceutical Limited and Ebuka Ojeani were being investigated for their involvement in faking, sale and distribution of fake Archilin with codeine cough syrup.
Oni said several cartoons of the fake product were found at the premises of Ebuka aka. Ebu-young who had earlier evaded arrest when he learnt that operatives were in his shop but later turned himself in after his shop, warehouse and residential apartment were placed on hold.
She said the two suspects who were obviously taking advantage of the market opportunities provided by the original products have been arraigned in court.
Also, Mr. Udoka Offor who was arrested in Abia State is currently being investigated for illegal production, distribution and sale of suspected counterfeiting of COF ‘N’ COLD with Codeine Syrup. The suspect was arrested in possession of 28 cartoons and 50 bottles of COF’NÇOLD codeine syrup.
ONI said during interrogation under caution, he (Udoka) admitted to have been producing the cough syrup in a one room rented apartment in Asaba, Delta State and markets the products at N0. E/254, Linkap Line, Head bridge market, Onitsha in Anambra State.
Udoka further confessed that he buys the original product from the market, reduces the fill volume and mixes the reduced fill volume of the original cough syrup with borehole water to produce the exact volume per bottle thereby making more quantity of the syrup and selling to unsuspecting public. Continuing she said the Agency also disclosed that it has intercepted several cartoons of fake pharmaceutical products and packaging materials in a 40 feet container declared as agricultural products.
The Acting Director General explained that the consignment which was imported with the name Amara Duben Global ventures were loaded with fake pharmaceutical products and have been evacuated and investigation ongoing to apprehend the cartel.
Meanwhile, the Agency has warned that the Federal Government’s ban on commodities such as foreign juices, refined oils and fats, cocoa butter, powder and cakes, spaghetti/noodles, sweetening among others is still in force.
Oni said the Agency was determined to wipe out from the markets products whose importations into the country have been banned by the Federal Government.
She implored all importers, distributors and marketers still stocking banned NAFDAC regulated products to withdraw then from circulation as the Agency would leave no stone unturned to arrest and prosecute violators of the extant policy.
On joint raid of adulterated and fake spirits and wines, she added that NAFDAC in collaboration with International Federation of Spirit Producers, IFSP, carried out a coordinated raid operation within the south western Nigeria of adulterated and fake spirits and wines which led to the seizure of fake spirits and wines worth thousands of Naira.
