The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration Control (NAFDAC) on Thursday destroyed counterfeit products comprising food additives, unsafe cosmetics, counterfeits and other expired products worth N43 billion at Moniya dump site, Ibadan, Oyo State.
At the exercise tagged “Investigation and Enforcement, Lagos destruction of fake, expired, substandard and falsified drugs, medical devices and unwholesome regulated products”, the NAFDAC Director-General, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, who was represented by NAFDAC Deputy Director, Investigation and Enforcement Directorate, Mr Shaba Mohammed, said the products were seized from manufacturers, importers and distributors
The Director-General was quoted by News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) as saying that among the destroyed products were damaged and expired products voluntarily handed over by compliant companies, NGOs and Trade Unions, to the Agency.
She clarified: “The estimated street value of the products being destroyed is N43 billion; NAFDAC has been charged with the responsibility of ensuring that the health of the nation is safeguarded.
“As such, it is committed to eliminating medical products, illicit drugs, unwholesome foods, chemicals, medical devices, and other products.
“There were several hawkers’ raids carried out across various locations in Lagos. Several unregistered and registered pharmaceutical products were seized.
“The products seized comprise various aphrodisiacs and sex enhancement drugs. Some Over-The-Counter (OTC) and Prescription Only Medicines (POM) drugs were also found and seized from the hawkers. Over 30 wares were seized in total.
“Products peddled by these drug hawkers including banned Codeine substances and narcotic drugs (e.g. Tramadol capsules), Antimalarial, Aphrodisiacs, Analgesics, Antibiotics worth over N48 million were confiscated”, Adeyeye added.
While confirming that the agency gathered intelligence on illegal warehousing, sale and distribution of Schedule 1 Narcotics by some pharmaceutical vendors in Lagos and other locations in the country, she disclosed that the NAFDAC’s Investigation and Enforcement team raided some pharmaceutical warehouses and premises across the country to confiscate products worth over N700 million following discrete surveillance.
Adeyeye said: “Some other products for destruction today are some products that were mopped up from circulation during Investigation and Enforcement Directorate’s raids.
“These include illicit and unregistered pharmaceutical products, such as codeine syrup, expired tramadol, aphrodisiacs, anti-malarials, and many other unregistered drugs.
“Other products are contraband soaps, tomato paste, unregistered and counterfeit drinks, food products, perfumes, and body sprays”, she added.
Adeyeye, who appealed to the public to join NAFDAC in the fight against counterfeit and fake drugs and unwholesome processed food and other regulated products, by reporting unscrupulous manufacturers and businessmen who engage in illicit practices to the nearest NAFDAC Office for prompt investigation.
According to her, as part of the strategies to fight counterfeiting of regulated products in the country, the Federal Government directed the establishment of four Coordinated Wholesale Centers (CWC) across the country.
On the directive, the Director-General disclosed that “the Kano CWC has taken off early this year as the flagship. The remaining ones, we are working round the clock to get them established before the end of the year.
“In furtherance of the Anti-Counterfeiting move, the Minister of Health and Social Welfare, Prof. Mohammed Ali Pate, is set for the inauguration of the Federal and State Task Forces on Counterfeit and Fake Drugs and Unwholesome Processed Foods at a date to be announced soon.
“I sincerely and openly appreciate the collaboration with the Nigeria Customs Service (NCS), for handing over several containers of unregistered, expired, substandard, falsified and unwholesome regulated products which will also be destroyed today”, Adeyeye added.
