The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) said on Monday it impounded fake drugs worth N5 million at the Carpentry Section of Bridge-Head Wood Market in Onitsha, Anambra.
The Deputy Director in charge of the agency's zonal office in Onitsha, Mr Benson Kine, disclosed this in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Onitsha, Anambra.
He said that the seizure followed a tip-off.
Kine said that the operation was successfully carried by the operative of the agency in collaboration with the chairman of the market association, adding that the owner of the shop was still at large.
“So the people have resorted to going to hide-outs where we will not see them to store their products.
??“And you would be surprise that even the union executives of the market were surprised that drugs could be stored in a place where carpenters are operating.
??“So we are advising that people should be careful on the kind of drugs they use.
?“And we are also advising the union officials to be vigilant so that these drug fakers would not use them as a hide-out for storing fake products.’’
The director also appealed to the public to make use of the SMS scratch code and number on the cover of drugs, saying that the system is a new technology adopted by some drug manufacturers as a means of authenticating the genuineness of their products.
?“We are advising that people that want to buy Ampiclox or any of these drugs that have SMS on it, should scratch it on the spot, and there and then text it.
“So that the reply would come whether it is genuine or fake; they shouldn’t wait until they get to their houses before they do so.’’
The impounded drugs include Lexotan 3mg, Funbact A cream, Artesunat tablets, Waipa ACT, Zinnat tablet, Lonart DS, Fulcin 500mg, Fansider tablets and Trivid.
?Others are Ciprolab, Zentel, Combantrim, Ampiclox, Maloxine, Halfan 250 and Norvase 10mg.
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