Business
NAFDAC Seizes N20m Fake Drugs From Illegal Factory
The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), says it has seized N20 million worth of fake drugs from an illegal factory in Onitsha, Anambra.
Deputy Director of NAFDAC Special Zonal Office, Onitsha Mr Benson Kine, disclosed this yesterday in Onitsha.
The deputy director said that the illegal factory had been functioning as a family cottage business.
Kine said that the factory, which was discovered following a tip-off from a public-spirited individual, was discovered at a residential duplex located at No 7 Commercial Avenue, Fegge, Onitsha.
He said the factory was in the heart of the Federal Housing Estate, Fegge.
The deputy director said that a combined team of NAFDAC and the police caught one Mrs Chinyere Okolichukwu during the raid on the premises.
She said that her husband owned the house and the business while one Mr Collins Okeke, worked for them.
All of them were arrested during the raid.
The fake drugs and their quantities recovered include: Minadex Tonic and Multi-Vitamin for Children 100 cartons by 12 bottles by 200 milliliters and Merit Liquid Quinine – 17 cartons by 40 bottles by 200 milliliters.
Others are Festdrine (Anti-malaria) – 16 cartons by 100 bottles by 100 milliliters; Glibebenclanide (Anti-malaria) – 37 cartons by 1,000 tablets by 5 milliliters and Geofage 500 (Anti-Diabetic) – 70 cartons by 500 tablets by 500 milliliters.
The equipment included three hot-air-gum machines for shrink wrapping, two cartons of sealing machines, improvised device for printing numbers and a nylon sealing machines.
Others are: a full keg of eForce Forte, rolls of taper prove nylons, five sack filled empty pack of Merit Quinine and insert label containing fake NAFDAC numbers and manufacturer addresses
Kine said that the husband of the woman had been at large after the enforcement team raided their house and confiscated the fake drugs and the equipment.
“We are yet to get her husband, who, Mrs Chinyere Okolichukwu alleged owns the house and the illegal factory.
The man also undertakes the marketing of the fake drugs and procures materials for their manufacturing.
“From available sales receipt recovered from them, they supply the products to Idumota Market, Lagos, Kano and Maiduguri in Borno.
He said they have been in the business for some years now.
Kine said that the suspects had been transferred to the agency’s Investigation Directorate in Lagos for further investigation and prosecution.