Warning: Undefined array key "url" in /home/insidena/public_html/wp-content/plugins/wpforms-lite/src/Forms/IconChoices.php on line 127

Warning: Undefined array key "path" in /home/insidena/public_html/wp-content/plugins/wpforms-lite/src/Forms/IconChoices.php on line 128
InsideNaijaBlog | NAFDAC Seals 3,000 Drug Shops, Seizes 24 Trucks of Fake Drugs in Crackdown

NAFDAC Seals 3,000 Drug Shops, Seizes 24 Trucks of Fake Drugs in Crackdown

In a decisive move to combat counterfeit and expired drugs, the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has sealed over 3,000 drug shops in Lagos and confiscated 24 truckloads of fake medicines from operations in Anambra and Abia states.

The Director General of NAFDAC, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, declared that the agency is intensifying its crackdown, warning counterfeiters that “enough is enough” after uncovering massive warehouses stocked with falsified and expired drugs in Aba, Idumota, and Onitsha.

A major illegal depot was discovered in Umumeje village, Osisioma Ngwa, Abia State, where fake medicines were being repackaged and revalidated for resale. The seized items included expired potassium chloride, allergy medications, immune boosters, cholesterol treatments, and machines used to alter expiration dates.

NAFDAC operatives, working alongside a joint security team, raided the facility, arresting several individuals, though the prime suspect remains at large. Despite efforts to contact him, he showed no concern for his detained family members.

Later in the week, enforcement officers and security forces uncovered another illegal drug depot at 269 Faulks Road, Aba. The operation exposed large-scale counterfeiting, including fraudulent packaging and tampered expiration dates. This followed months of intelligence gathering, revealing a massive market for repackaging expired drugs and selling them as genuine products.

At the Ogbo-Ogwu Bridge Head Market in Onitsha, Anambra State, NAFDAC seized 14 truckloads of fake, expired, and falsified drugs worth billions of naira. The market was identified as a hub for repackaging and revalidating expired medicines, which are then sold to unsuspecting consumers under fraudulent claims of authenticity.

According to Mr. Martins Iluyomade, NAFDAC’s Southeast Zonal Director, many seized drugs bore fake NAFDAC approvals, which were detected using advanced scanning machines. Among the confiscated items were expired, banned, defective, repackaged, and recalled pharmaceuticals.

The enforcement operation extended to Lagos, where NAFDAC targeted major distributors suspected of supplying counterfeit drugs to pharmacies and hospitals. Over 3,000 drug shops in the Open Drug Market in Idumota were screened and sealed. Authorities discovered vaccines stored in dilapidated, unventilated rooms, as well as large consignments of banned Analgin Injections, diverted free HIV and retroviral drugs, and expired medications being prepared for revalidation.

NAFDAC also seized 12 truckloads of illicit pharmaceuticals in Lagos. Investigators found empty packaging of unregistered antimalarial injections with the vials removed, as well as large quantities of codeine cough syrup and Tramadol 225 hidden in warehouses outside the main pharmaceutical section.

Prof. Adeyeye reaffirmed NAFDAC’s commitment to eliminating counterfeit medicines, stating that the agency would not relent in its efforts to clean up the drug market. She stressed that the simultaneous raids in Idumota, Onitsha, and Aba were part of a broader mission to safeguard public health and prevent the circulation of harmful drugs.

“The goal is to stop the sale of counterfeit, substandard, expired, and rebranded drugs that pose significant health risks to Nigerians,” she said.

With the intensified enforcement, NAFDAC aims to disrupt the networks responsible for distributing dangerous pharmaceuticals, ensuring that only safe and approved medications reach consumers.

311 thoughts on “NAFDAC Seals 3,000 Drug Shops, Seizes 24 Trucks of Fake Drugs in Crackdown

  1. I wasn’t sure what to expect at first, but this turned out to be surprisingly useful. Thanks for taking the time to put this together.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *