MILLIONS OF NAIRA WORTH OF SEIZED DRUGS, SOME FAKE, HANDED OVER TO NAFDAC BY COMPT UGBAGU
By Timothy Paul Okorocha
Millions of naira worth of pharmaceutical products, some said to be without NAFDAC number were today handed over to the National Agency for food and Drug Administration and Control by the Federal Operations Unit (FOU) zone ‘C’ Owerri.
Comptroller Michael Ugbagu, an enforcement expert said in Owerri while handing the drugs over to the NAFDAC that the process was done with the statutory mandate of the customs.
‘These pharmaceutical drugs were intercepted by officers of the unit during routine patrol operations within and around the unit’s jurisdiction’
Ugbagu disclosed that some of the drugs were intercepted for not having NAFDAC registration number, manufacturing date, while some were intercepted in respect of concealment and expired offences.
The drugs handed over are: CODOLIN EXP, TUTOLINE EXP, CSC CODOLIN, TRAMED, RAJTRADOL, XTREME MAN, ZESTUP, LADINAX, DICLOFEN FORTE, CHAKAPAN EXTRA, EMZOLYIN EXP, OSTNIM, NORMORTETIC, ARTHROTEC, DAONIL, PREGNACARE, JAMOL, VENTOLIN, CA-C, GLANIL, LINCOCIN, MIXGRIP, TANZOL, SILYBON, P-ALAXIN, OXISPA, WELL WOMAN, ALYRTHON TOOACHE, BEEHIVE BALSAAM, SELENIUM IMMUNACE, DIZAPAN, AMINOPHYLIIN, SABUTAMOL, MAN KKING.
The unit in line with the policy trust of the Comptroller General of Customs Bashir Adewale Adeniyi MFR in collaboration and fostering inter-agency cooperation deemed it necessary to hand over these seized pharmaceutical drugs to the appropriate agency.
While handing over the pharmaceuticals to the Imo State Coordinator of NAFDAC, the Controller expressed his heartfelt gratitude for the synergy that existed between the Nigeria Customs Service and NAFDAC. The state Coordinator Mrs Constance Ndukwe expressed her gratitude for the dedication and the hard work of the Controller and the men of the unit. She also stated that these expired drugs and other pharmaceuticals are dangerous to health noting that the collaboration between the two agencies has helped to control the sale and consumption of unregistered substance in the state and the country at large.
The Controller thanked the officers/men of the unit for their relentless service to their father land, he reinstated that the unit will remain resolute in delivering on its mandate of revenue generation and combating smuggling.