The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) in Edo state said it had taken delivery of a seized truck with unregistered pharmaceutical products.
NAFDAC said that the imported drugs were without the agency’s registration number.
This was disclosed in a statement made available to newsmen on Wednesday in Benin by NAFDAC Public Relations Officer; Mr Cyril Monye,.
It said the seizure was made by the Federal Operations Unit of Nigeria Customs Service and handed over to the agency.
The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) in Edo state said it had taken delivery of a seized truck with unregistered pharmaceutical products.
NAFDAC said that the imported drugs were without the agency’s registration number.
This was disclosed in a statement made available to newsmen on Wednesday in Benin by NAFDAC Public Relations Officer; Mr Cyril Monye,.
It said the seizure was made by the Federal Operations Unit of Nigeria Customs Service and handed over to the agency.
The statement quoted NAFDAC Coordinator in Edo, Mr David West, as saying that the truck was intercepted by men of Nigeria Customs Service on routine patrol along the Benin–Asaba highway.
“On closer examination, the consignments were discovered to be unregistered drugs,’’ West said.
He said the pharmaceutical products were suspected to have been illegally imported into the country from Pakistan, India and China, respectively.
He, however, said that no arrest was made as the driver of the truck absconded on sighting the men in uniform.
West said the intercepted pharmaceutical products included Ampiclox, Nilstat Oral Drops and Aeroline Evohaler.
Some of the seized drugs are Optalidon tablets, Cicatrin powder, Ibrumol capsules, Diclofen Forte, Didofenac Sodium caplets, Disprin soluble, Aspirin tablets and Dettol.
West said that some unregistered animal drugs impounded by customs along the same route and valued at N237, 500 were also handed over to NAFDAC.
He said that the drugs might have been manufactured in Germany and China.
The NAFDAC official said that the consignments were ostensibly heading to Onitsha before they were intercepted.
He said that the drugs would be taken to NAFDAC’s Enforcement Directorate in Lagos for further investigation.
West commended customs operatives for arresting the truck and called on the public to always report incidents of unregistered drugs and other unregulated NAFDAC products to the agency.
He advised sellers of beans, grains and related food products in Edo to desist from using harmful chemicals to treat the food items.
West said such practice was injurious to health and could lead to food poisoning. (NAN)
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