By CHIMEZIE ANASO

The National Agency for Food, Drugs Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has seized banned pharmaceutical products, worth millions of naira, in the commercial city of Onitsha, Anambra, during a raid.

The agency also burst factories manufacturing fake alcoholic beverages in Enugu and Imo states during the month.

Mr Martins Iluyomade, NAFDAC’s Director, South East Zone, told newsmen in Awka on Wednesday that drugs intercepted in Onitsha, included 892 bottles of Codeine Syrup, 26 packs of Rohypnol tablet (Flunitrazepam) and 16 packs of Swings tablet (Flunitrazepam).

Others were six rolls of Teka Tramadol capsules 100mg, 10 packs of Super Terpentol tablet 200mg and eight packs Osaka Tramadol Capsules 100mg.

Iluyomade commended Mr Louis Mmadubuatta, the Coordinator of NAFDAC in Anambra, for a successful operation, saying that the drugs posed grave public health danger.

He said the drugs were dangerous psychoactive substances, especially Rohypnol, which, he said, was largely used by kidnappers, rapists, cultists and ritualists, on their victims.

“These are controlled drugs which should not be found in an open market or in the hands of individuals,” he said.

Iluyomade said other breakthroughs made included the discovery of a factory under the name BEST IJAW at Ibagwa Aka, in Igboeze South Local Government Area of Enugu State, which specialised in the production of an unapproved dry gin.

He said the factory had eight PVC containers filled with substances suspected to be ethanol and drums of substances equally suspected to be ethanol.

“The so-called factory is in an uncompleted building used for rearing all manners of domestic animals and is very unkempt.

“Workers at the factory fill small branded plastic bottles with substances suspected to be ethanol from these drums and they distribute them to the innocent public for consumption,” he said.

The NAFDAC Zonal Director said another operation was carried out in Ezinihitte, Mbaise Local Government Area of Imo State, where a factory counterfeited some popular wine and spirit brands.

He said some of the faked beverages intercepted were Campari, St. Remy, Big Ben Gin, Lord’s Gin, Eagles Gin, Seaman’s Schnapps, McDowell’s, 8PM Whisky, 8Hours, Action Bitter, One Man Squad, Hennessy, 501 Whisky, Royal Spark, Don Oscar’s Quevedo Red Wine, and Chelsea Dry Gin.

He said the couple who operated the factory had been arrested and handed over to Police for investigation and prosecution.

“A huge number of all the drinks were seized. Bottles, corks, labels, substances yet to be identified until after a proper test as well as other equipment used for the product of fake drinks were also seized.

“The operation was made possible by the collaboration between NAFDAC and the Directorate of State Services,” he said.

Iluyomade said the operations were in continuation of the agency’s mission to ensure that consumers of food and drink in the Southeast were protected from harmful products,

He advised the general public to be patient and painstakingly look out for the seal of quality on beverages whatever they wished to buy them.

According to him, NAFDAC remained committed to ensuring that the level of counterfeit products in markets and homes is reduced drastically for the safety of all consumers of these products. (NAN)

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