By Chioma Obinna

Lagos—NATIONAL Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, NAFDAC, yesterday arrested suspected  distributors of fake tramadol tablets, codeine syrups   and other   falsified pharmaceutical products in Lagos.

This came as the agency commenced  raiding of drug hawkers in Lagos and This came as the agency commenced  raiding of drug hawkers in Lagos and its environs, coming on the heels of the destruction  of various categories of regulated products worth N80 million in Abuja.

Among fake products intercepted  included Rohypnol, Royal tablets, Diazapam, Emzolyn, Hypnox, Valinex, Richcof, Tutoline, Lara-120 capsule, Reilly extra tablets, Tramadol, Codrus, Cofmix, Cougn N cold and different brands of cough syrup with codeine among other illicit drugs.

While, those arrested included, Monday Isaac Okorie, Elochukwu Mmadubugwu and Pius Ochigbo, who sold  tramadol drugs to university students, area boys and other members of the public etc.

Addressing journalists in Lagos, Director General, NAFDAC, Professor Christiana Adeyeye explained that the interception of a trailer load and two truck- load of unregistered pharmaceutical products followed a tip-off by a whistle blower, noting that the trailer driver, Mr. Emmanuel David Ukwoba and the Clearing Agent, Mr. Ezeanwu Ifeanyi, accompanying the two trucks had  also been arrested.

She lamented that the business of registered companies whose drugs were being falsified were not only being compromised, but the actions were also impacting negatively on the economy.

Adeyeye said: “These drugs have negative impact on the health of the takers or consumers and have caused the death of many Nigerians and newborns.”

Speaking on menace of drug hawkers, Adeyeye, who said the agency, had noticed with dismay the upsurge on the streets and bus hawking of drugs in Lagos and its environs, and that the enforcement officers have commenced intensive raids hawkers and       arrested some hawkers and confiscated their wares. “This exercise will be intensified until the Agency completely dislodges them. The practice of hawking does not only render the drugs ineffectively I will due to exposure to extreme temperatures but also provides avenue for drug counterfeiters to market their dangerous products to an unsuspecting public. The Agency is partnering with National Union of Road Transport Workers and other stakeholders to sensitize them on the need to discourage the hawking of drugs within their parks and vehicles.”

She warned that patronage of hawkers of drugs was a sure invitation to seizure and destruction of the drugs.