The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) says it has exposed two warehouses at Trade Fair Complex, Lagos, packed with counterfeit drugs and children’s cereals collected from dump sites valued at N3 billion.
The Director General, NAFDAC, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye who made the disclosure at a news conference organized at the NAFDAC Administrative Office, Isolo on Friday, cautioned unsuspicious public to desist from purchasing unpacked cereals.
Proving details of the confiscated items, the director-general listed the unwholesome foods include children cereals and dairy foods.
She also mentioned the fake products to include 10 cartons of Tramadol 225mg; 1,200, cartons of banned Analgin Injection (2.5g/5ml); 2,200 cartons of banned Codeine in Syrup and suspected fake 500 cartons of Azmal; Artemether Injection.
According Adeyeye, there are 534 cartons plus 300 packets of Binomial; Artesunate Injection; 188 cartons of Hydra and Black Cobra (sildenafil citrate 200mg); and 198 cartons of Super Artesunate Injection among others were discovered and evacuated.
She noted that while over 20 truckloads of offensive products were removed from the two locations, the suspected importer is still yet to be apprehended.
She added: “The officers of investigation and enforcement directorate of NAFDAC and the Federal Task Force on Counterfeit and Fake Drugs and Unwholesome Processed Foods raided the two warehouses where multiple cartons of banned drugs were discovered and evacuated.
“The banned and falsified drugs in the warehouses owned by one Chuka (Akuamia), who is still at large, is estimated to be worth over N3 billion. The products were stored at temperatures above 40°C which ordinarily would denature some of the active ingredients and the excipients.”
Adeyeye, also, bemoaned that the agency uncovered some counterfeit products are imported into the Nigeria through a system known as “Groupage”.
“This is a system where more than two persons load containers with different items from the country of origin. In order to deal with the incidence of Food Fraud”, Adeyeye hinted that the agency is carrying out raid operations with tremendous success already recorded.
“The sources of these various falsely packed cereals and dairy products cannot be verified and therefore NAFDAC cannot guarantee the safety of the products for consumption.
“During one of our operations, a suspect declared that the CocoPops, CornFlakes and Oats being displayed for sale in transparent nylons were sourced from LAWMA waste disposal trucks before repackaging into transparent nylons.”
She, therefore, cautioned the public “against patronising sellers of cereal or other products that have been removed from their primary packaging. NAFDAC is particularly painful because infants and children are the target and the ultimate victims of such wicked and evil activities.”
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