The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) says over 10 million doses of fake malaria drugs and cosmetics products worth N3 billion were confiscated at the Trade Fair Market in Lagos.
Martin Iluyomade, NAFDAC Director of Investigation and Enforcement, who disclosed this to reporters at the agency’s office in Apapa on Monday said it acted on credible intelligence received on 3 February.
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Mr Iluyomade said the fake drugs discovered included anti malaria drugs and injections for cerebral malaria, antibiotics, postinor and anagin products that had been banned for almost 15 years in the country, among others.
He said eight truck loads of fake drugs and cosmetics products were evacuated from the three-storey building which purportedly served as warehouse for spare parts.
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The director said four individuals were arrested while investigation was still ongoing in the operation he described as one of the major breakthroughs for the agency.
“What we saw in the warehouse is one of the major discovery by the agency lately, they have perfected the act of hiding drugs in unconventional places that you don’t expect to find such products,” he said.
“These medicines were packed in alarming numbers inside this warehouse, different types, life-saving drugs that are very important and banned products that have been banned for years by NAFDAC.
“These drugs were clone and it was quite difficult for the authorised manufacturers to identify the original and fake drugs, which was quite disturbing.
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“This is not a major breakthrough for NAFDAC alone but for Nigerians because what we seized from the warehouse can kill three million Nigerians if it enters the markets.”
He said the NAFDAC team would not relent on its effort to rid the country of fake and unwholesome products to safeguard the health of the nation.
“We have zero tolerance for counterfeit and fake drugs; with the help of God and Nigerians, the agency will dismantle these organised syndicates that are killing Nigerians with their products,” he said.
Mr Iluyomade urged major drug distributors to always buy from the agency’s accredited manufacturers, while urging Nigerians to be vigilant and report any suspicious activities to the nearest NAFDAC office nationwide. (NAN)
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