By Chioma Umeha
National Agency for Food and Drug Administration
and Control (NAFDAC) on Tuesday in Lagos , said, it carried out surveillance
which led to a successful raid of Ezedams Enterprises Nig. Ltd on Badagry
Expressway, Ojo which is into illegal production of counterfeit alcoholic
beverages.
The Acting Director General of NAFDAC, Mrs.
Yetunde Oni, said that a thorough search of the facility led to the discovery
of several drums of Ethyl Alcohol; Rayner’s Flavouring Agents ; unidentified
chemicals in several jerry-cans and packaging materials.
Addressing journalists on Tuesday in NAFDAC Oshodi
office, in Lagos, was the Head of NAFDAC’s Investigation and Enforcement, Mr.
Kingsley Ejiofor, who spoke
on behalf of the agency’s DG added that the facility has been sealed with
investigation on -going.
In addition, he said that following intelligence received on a
transport vehicle containing suspected counterfeit Peak Milk products bound for
Lagos from the East, the Agency set up surveillance from about 4am on the
February 17, 2017 which led to successful interception of the vehicle and its
contents as it was arriving Lagos.
He recalled that on February 24, 2017, Mr. Daniel
Ezekwelu was arrested by the Federal Task Force on Fake and Counterfeit
Products for production of fake water for injection within two compounds at
Ojoto village near Nnewi, Anambra state.
Continuing he said : “During the raid, two
underaged girls were found filling and sealing the fake water for injection
under the cover of Mr. Daniel Ezekwelu. The production takes place between
8:00am and 3:00pm every day, while the finished products are transported to the
market at night.
Items recovered include: plastic containers, gas
cylinders and packs of the fake water for injection labelled “Sterilised water
for injection BP” with manufacturing date 2015 and expiry date 2020 and said to
be produced by Hossanna Laboratories Limited, Surrey. The product is packed as
100 x 10ml vials. The suspect made useful statement to the Police.
Investigation is ongoing.”
According to him, the agency also paraded
suspected fraudsters for forgery of the agency’s documents and impersonation.
He said that the agency received three different
complaints from three countries about alleged impersonation and scam by some
Nigerians that posed as NAFDAC staff to process registration documents for
intending importers of regulated products.
According to Ejiofor, one of the complaints which
came from the High Commission of Nigeria in New Delhi, India was reported on
behalf of a company called, Bharti Phosphates.
The second complain was from Dr Yaser Dezhkam, the
Chief Executive Officer of Dr Haps company, a German company and manufacturer
of pet food supplement.
The third was from one Mr. Akrem from Tunisia who
wanted to confirm whether he should pay money to a company in Nigeria called
Samjoe Ventures for the registration and shipment of 5,000 metric tons of
calcium carbonate, the Head of NAFDAC’s Investigation and Enforcement added.
Explaining further he said: “All the cases were
diligently investigated and it was discovered that the three cases were hatched
and executed by the same syndicate. This professional criminal group is an
international gang headed by Mr. Eze Okoronkwo, a Nigerian who is resident in
Aba, Abia state.
“The other Nigerian collaborators are: Mr. Ndukwe
Darlington Ukonu, Mr. Nwabugo Okoro, Miss Ohanaokwu Chinonyen, and one Mr.
Smart who resides in India. Their Indian collaborators are Miss Kokula Hongva,
Hoi Ching Suamtak, Tongso M. Anal and Aneng Mate.
“The other countries whose nationals allegedly
collaborated and acted as brokers to the syndicate are the Philipines, Tunisia,
El-Salvador, the US, Canada, Mauritania, Denmark, Mexico, Greece, Switzerland,
Indonesia, and Republic of South Korea.
“The syndicate had collected the sum of $13, 640.
00, while there were plans to collect further sum of $57, 720. 00. We believe
this is a tip of the iceberg.”
The acting DG further revealed that the mode of
operation of the group involves the sourcing of brokers with Dollar or Euro
account; with a promise that a broker will be entitled to 30 percent – 40 per
cent of the proceeds of the venture .
Explaining further, the acting DG said: “They
contact the companies thereafter through known websites – company or group
websites, example, European Union-Distributors website. The victim is then
gradually fleeced, while being presented with fake documents.”
Enumerating some of the fake NAFDAC documents
produced by the syndicate, he said they include: Certificate of Registration,
some bearing the forged signature of the acting Director General of NAFDAC,
Mrs. Yetunde O. Oni; Notification of products approval; Confirmation of file
number for immediate issuance of NAFDAC certificates among others.
Maintaining that NAFDAC is doing everything to
ensure that only safe medicine and wholesome food of the right quality are sold
to Nigerians, the Acting DG solicited for the support of health practitioners,
community leaders, religious leaders, the Media and all stakeholders to
continue to educate their wards and family members to desist from patronizing
quacks and hawkers of medicines on the street.
However, he advised consumers of NAFDAC regulated
products to be watchful of drug, food and other regulated products they
purchase and obtain receipt of payment for same adding, “The general public
should not hesitate to report any suspicious activities within their
environment to the nearest NAFDAC office”.
