NAN
Lagos: The National Agency for Food and Drugs Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has uncovered an illegal operation involving fake chemicals, expired food flavours, fertilisers, and repackaged raw materials in Lagos.
A statement by NAFDAC on Tuesday in Lagos said that its operatives busted an illegal operation at the Alapere area of Ketu, which led to the arrest of three suspects and the sealing of three warehouses.
According to the statement, the operatives were led by the agency’s Director of Investigation and Enforcement, Dr. Martins Iluyomade.
The raid was carried out based on credible intelligence indicating a criminal network posing a threat to public health.
“This is one of the campaigns our agency is carrying out to protect the health of Nigerians.
“We received information that some individuals were pretending to run a legitimate business, but in reality, they were engaging in serious criminal activities that put people’s lives at risk.
“As an agency set up by law to stop such crimes, we stepped in to make sure those involved are brought to justice. The main offence here is the sale of expired chemicals,” Iluyomade said.
He stated that chemicals are considered raw materials, with some serving as precursors used to produce other chemicals. In contrast, others are used directly in the production of goods that people consume.
“If an expired chemical is used, it is impossible to get a safe or effective final product, making it a serious health risk,” Iluyomade was quoted as saying.
It further stated that dangerous chemicals posing a serious security threat and intended for handling only by government agencies or licensed end-users were discovered.
The statement stated that some of the expired food additives found at the location were from a registered company licensed to import the product, noting that the company would be investigated.
“Fertilisers among the items were found; these items required clearance from the National Security Adviser before anyone could distribute them. Yet, someone has been stocking and selling them freely.
“Another primary concern is the expired food-grade products we found, and the disturbing part is that they came from a registered company in Nigeria. That company has the legal right to import them.
“The expired batch ended up with a third party who is not a manufacturer, and this raises serious questions about how some multinationals are operating in this country,” the statement said.
It also stated that the three warehouses located at the same site were sealed, while the total value of the seized fake and expired items was not less than N1 billion.
The Director of Chemical Evaluation and Control, Dr Leonard Omokpariola, in the statement, said it was unfortunate that some of the items found at the three warehouses were strictly controlled items not expected to be in the possession of an individual.
Omokpariola urged companies always to follow NAFDAC guidelines on how to handle such items.
