NAFDAC intercepts N20m cloned drugs in Onitsha

Posted by admin Headlines Wednesday, June 29th, 2011

Officials of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration Control (NAFDAC), yesterday intercepted cloned drugs valued at N20 million in the commercial city of Onitsha during their routine raid in the area.

Addressing journalists on the outcome of the raid, the Deputy Zonal Director of NAFDAC, Mr. Benson Kine said they acted on a tip-off that the cloned drugs were packed at a separate place from their usual drug market.

According to him, the owners of the drugs apparently to deceive his men went and packed the cloned drugs at a place where household utensil were sold, adding that they were able to uncover the plan and confiscated the drugs.
He said the drugs were well packed in cartons and kept in the warehouse by their owners. Mr. Kine also disclosed that an unknown member of the drug dealers called the zonal office of NAFDAC to alert them of the cloned drugs and the plans by the owners to push them into the market.

The deputy zonal director also said they arrested one suspect in connection with the cloned drugs, noting that they received his mobile phone number from their informant with which they lured him to their office. He, however, said the suspect, after he was lured to the office, was arrested and taken to the place where he packed the drugs, disclosing that the suspect wanted to induce them, an action he said they resisted.

Speaking to Daily Sun, the suspect (name withheld) said the drugs would pass any NAFDAC laboratory test, adding that though they were cloned, could still be consumed by the people. The suspect, who had earlier been handed over to the police by the officials of NAFDAC, said he was just settled by his boss last six months and refused to disclose the source of the cloned drugs.

-Sunwp_posts