NAFDAC arrests Camerounians with fake Chinese drugs

By Chioma Obinna
THE National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, NAFDAC, in Kefii, Nasarawa State, Thursday, arrested three Camerounians allegedly operating a quack maternity clinic where fake and unregistered Chinese medicines were being illegally dispensed.

The suspects who were arrested at the clinic include Ambelly Remy, Ayissi Abena and Tanga Gabriel while one Dr. Arsen was still at large.

Briefing journalists in Lagos, Director General of the Agency, Dr. Paul Orhii, who explained that the arrest of the suspects was made following a tip_off from a concerned Nigerian said the clinic had  defrauded 2,670 patients by collecting N500 from each of them for registration between March and June 6, 2010.

Orhii who announced a monetary reward of N50,000 to the informant, said the clinic distributed leaflets with fake NAFDAC registration number and advertised cure for various diseases.

Giving insight on how the Agency arrested the suspects, the NAFDAC boss said:  “Following the consumer complaint, we drafted officers to carry out a discreet surveillance of the clinic. Thereafter a raid was carried out on the premises

“Four large ‘Ghana must go’bags containing assorted unregistered/fake medicines, most of which are labeled in Chinese language were discovered.”