Lagos: As part of efforts to rid the nation of fake and unwholesome products, the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), has confiscated unregistered pharmaceutical products estimated at N110 million, underscoring the scale of the illegal trade, and arresting more than 15 individuals.
The agency announced this in a statement on Tuesday, stating that it conducted the operation to eliminate fake and unregistered pharmaceutical products, as well as other regulated items.
The agency disclosed that the arrested individuals were detained during the raids, pending completion of interrogation and further investigations.
The raids, according to the agency, were carried out in Lagos, Kaduna, Abuja, and Asaba, where drug hawkers sold fake, expired, and unapproved products.
Items confiscated included aphrodisiacs, oxytocins, narcotic analgesics, tramadol, morphine, sex-enhancement drugs, antibiotics, painkillers, and other unsafe pharmaceutical products.
Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, NAFDAC Director-General, warned that the distribution and sale of medicines in unauthorised places are prohibited, stressing that violators would face severe sanctions.
She urged Nigerians to desist from patronising hawkers and peddlers, stressing that NAFDAC would not relent until all offenders are brought to book.
Adeyeye reaffirmed NAFDAC’s commitment to ensuring the safety and quality of foods, medicines, and other regulated products available to the public.
