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NAFDAC seeks stiffer punishment for counterfeiters, drug offenders

By Silver Nwokoro
08 August 2017   |   2:58 am
The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has presented a bill before the National Assembly to seek increased punishment for drug offenders and counterfeiters.

Mrs. Yetunde Oni

The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has presented a bill before the National Assembly to seek increased punishment for drug offenders and counterfeiters.

Acting Director General of NAFDAC, Mrs. Yetunde Oni, who disclosed this at the weekend, said the agency is proposing a life jail term in the bill against the minimum jail term to serve as deterrent unrelenting offenders.

Oni spoke in Lagos against the arrest of five persons for alleged illegal production, distribution and counterfeiting of Codeine Cough Syrup, Archilin, peak powdered milk, among others.

Those arrested include: Mrs. Chika Nwaemeka Nwoye, Mr. Ebuka Ojeani Nelson, Mr. Udoka Offor, Mr. Emeka Mbonu and Mr. Christopher Nnabuihe.
According to her, the agency’s Director for Investigation and Enforcement, Mr. Kingsley Ejiofor has already presented the bill with a provision for whistle blowing.

“We have the whistle blowing provision in the bill to compensate whistle blowers and there are punishment if they are not true,” she added.Oni further appealed for public support in form of providing information for swift actions to prosecute illegal production and distribution of counterfeit products.

According to her, the agency as part of its enlightenment programme, recently issued a public notice warning Importers, distributors and marketers of some NAFDAC regulated products contained in the Import Prohibition list.

The banned items, Oni said, include refined vegetable oil and fat, cane or beer sugar and chemically pure sucrose in solid form containing added flavouring or colouring matter in retail packs, cocoa butter, powder and cakes, spaghetti or noodles, fruit juice in retail packs, water including mineral waters and aerated waters containing added sugar or sweetening matter or flavoured, ice snow, other
non-alcoholic beverages, among others.

On the state of prosecution of arrested offenders, the NAFDAC DG, said one of them arrested in his residence in Abia State has been taken to a Magistrate Court in Calabar, where commencement of trial has been fixed for October 28

The suspect,  she said  confessed he was in possession of COF and COLD with Codeine syrup, 28 cartons x 50 bottles x 100ml at  the time of
arrest.

“Another suspect was arrested for the production and sale of unregistered Mist Potassium Citrate B.P.C in Kaduna, Nwoye and Ebuka for sale and distribution of fake Archilin with Codeine Cough Syrup, while Christopher for production and sales of fake peak powder in Calabar metropolis.

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