By Our Reporter
No fewer than 240 shops on Cemetery Road Market, Aba, in Abia State, have been shut down over fake and counterfeit drugs and other products by the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC).
The raid carried out by the agency within the first two weeks of December led to the confiscation of drugs and other products worth more than N700 million.
Director-General of NAFDAC, Professor Moji Adeyeye, who disclosed this at a media briefing in Lagos, decried the increase in the number of counterfeiters in the country and charged citizens to be more careful of what they buy and consume, as most of these counterfeit products, which included beverages and consumables, had adverse and long-term health implications on those who consumed them.
“We have carried out raids in different parts of the country and we have seized goods worth millions of naira. The latest raid is the one that happened at Cemetery Road Market in Aba. NAFDAC intercepted counterfeiters engaged in the production of a variety of beverages, including alcoholic and non-alcoholic wines, as well as consumables.
“This was achieved due to several weeks of intelligence gathering, and we were able to carry out a sting operation and burst the criminal activities in the market that had been going on for a long time and were now like a cartel.
“Some of the activities of the nefarious counterfeiters included the production of all kinds of wines from a wide variety of brands, ranging from Schnapps, Dry Gin, Hennessy, Four Cousins, Chelsea, London Dry Gin, and Gordons. They also counterfeited non-alcoholic beverages like Eva wine and Coca-Cola products, among others.
“The criminals re-validated expired products, and all of these operations were carried out in a less than conducive environment with water that was not pure. During the raid, about 240 shops were closed down and 1,500 cartons of the counterfeited products were destroyed.
“Three hundred cartons were seized, and 10 people were arrested at the scene of the crime and will be charged in court. The goods destroyed and seized from this illegal operation were valued at about N700 million,” she said.
She urged Nigerians to always buy their beverages from reputable supermarkets and avoid any deals too good to be true, as they could possibly be selling counterfeit drugs.
“Nigerians need to use the ‘Four Ps’ when they are shopping. They should ensure that the places where they are buying their beverages are reputable supermarkets and not just roadside stalls.
“They should also not fall victim if the prices are too low to be believable. If the prices are low, then the product may not be from a good source.
“Packaging of the product is also very important. If the seal of the package is broken or it looks odd, then it probably may be the work of the counterfeiters. If the product smells badly, then that is another sign that it is a bad or counterfeited product, and consumers should look out for all these signs. Overall, the product itself must be checked to ensure that it is not contaminated or a bad one.”
Professor Adeyeye highlighted some of the achievements of NAFDAC in 2023, which included a media parley with health journalists in different regions of the country to discuss the harmful effects of bleaching cream.
She also highlighted the deployment of Monkey Pox and human papilloma virus (HPV) vaccines, which were brought into the country based on mutual recognition and to be used for the treatment of the diseases.