NAFDAC arrests 10 suspects for importing expired drugs

Director-General of NAFDAC, Dr. Paul Orhii.

The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control has arrested 10 suspects for the sale and importation of counterfeit and expired products.

The NAFDACs’ Director of Investigations and Enforcement, Mr. Kingsley Ejiofor said the suspects were arrested based on information given to the agency’s officials by producers of the original products.

The suspects were caught with fakeBuscomac, Zentel and Primolut-N tablets and forged NAFDAC certificates. Continue..

Among the suspects paraded are Adumeta Christopher, who was arrested for tampering with NAFDAC seal and manufacturing of unregistered food products; Mr. Emmanuel Okwara, who is being investigated for illegal production and distribution of counterfeit Baygon, Raid, Mobil, Mortein insecticides and Dettol antiseptic liquid in Abuja.

Others are Mr. Ezea Osita, who was caught with a consignment of unlabelled white and yellow tablets which he claimed were chloroquine tablets; and Mrs. Oham Miracle, who is being investigated for illegal importation, distribution and sale of fake cosmetic products.

Ejiofor called on Nigerians to be more vigilant when buying drugs and other food and cosmetics products as counterfeiters are on the prowl.

He stated, “The suspect (Miracle) was the manager of the genuine and registered version of the product before she duped the company. Two years after, she used the proceeds to counterfeit the product from China.

“Nigerians need to be on guard to protect their health because counterfeiters are not resting. If anything seems wrong about a product you purchased, alert us and we will go ahead to take the necessary steps. We all are involved.”