Cartons of Tramadol, Codeine, others uncovered in Lagos warehouses – NAFDAC

Cartons of Tramadol, Codeine, others uncovered in Lagos warehouses – NAFDAC

    NAFDAC DG, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye

The Director-General, National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, on Friday, said the agency has uncovered multiple cartons of banned drugs including 10 cartons of Tramadol at the Lagos trade fair complex.

Adeyeye, at a briefing in Lagos on Friday, said falsified drugs worth over N3bn was also seized from the warehouses owned by one Chuka Akuamia.

She said, “The officers of Investigation and Enforcement Directorate of NAFDAC and the Federal Task Force on Counterfeit and Fake Drugs and Unwholesome Processed Foods raided two warehouses at the TradeFair Complex in Lagos, where multiple cartons of banned drugs including 10 cartons of Tafradol (Tramadol 225mg) were found.

“Furthermore, 1,200 cartons of banned Analgin Injection (2.5g/5ml), 2,200 cartons of banned Codeine in Syrup, suspected fake 500 cartons of Azmal; Artemeter Injection, 534 cartons plus 300 packets of Biomal: Artesunate Injection, 188 cartons of Hydra and Black Cobra (silderzafil citrate 200mg), 198 cartons of Super Artesunate Injection among others, were discovered and evacuated.

“The banned and falsified drugs in the warehouses owned by one Chuka Akuamia , who is still at large, is estimated to be worth over N3bn. Over 20 truckloads of the offensive products were evacuated from the two locations. The products were stored at temperatures above 40oc which ordinarily would denature some of the active ingredients.”

Adeyeye added that the Agency, on Wednesday, arraigned one Mr. Afemefuna Udensi, of Phini Pharms Limited, Onitsha, at the Federal High Court, Lagos for importing fake Tramadol.

“The defendant imported a fake version of the registered brand. Investigation also revealed that the fake drugs were imported from China.

“The Agency has also observed that some fake and counterfeit products are brought into the country through a system known as “Groupage”. This is a system where more than two persons load containers with different items from the country of origin. It is collectively cleared and distributed to the owners of the items. This system aids and abets counterfeiting.

“The Agency has found that controlled, banned, and unregistered Regulated Products are usually concealed and brought into the country through this arrangement.

“In order to deal with the incidence of Food Fraud, the Agency is carrying out raid operations with tremendous success already recorded in the area of forfeiture of unwholesome processed cereals, beverages, and dairy products,” the NAFDAC DG said.

She added that, the Agency, in its nationwide raid which commenced in July confiscated seven trucks conveying 4,578 cartons of various unlabeled, transparent nylon packed cereals worth over N60m.