ABUJA: The Nigeria Customs Service (NCS) Apapa Area Command has handed over the seven imported containers of fake pharmaceutical products from China to the National Agency for Food and Drugs Administration and Control (NAFDAC) in Lagos.
Its Area Controller, Musa Jibrin, told The Nation that the importer’s documentation showed Cimeti-dine drug, but upon examination, it was discovered that the containers had various pharmaceutical products. He said the drugs, which included Newdol, Original, Ivixagrip and Really extral, were not certified by the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC). “My officers were able to discover the pharmaceutical products as a result of 100 per cent examination being carried out by the command. “The intercepted drugs are not carrying the NAFDAC certification.
It was a false declaration and that was why the command intercepted the seven containers at the same time. Jibrin said the interception was successful due to the collaboration between the Customs and other sister agencies. He urged stakeholders to engage in honest declaration to enable Nigeria meet up with the international standards. Assistant Director, NAFDAC, Oluyemi Ogunrinde, hailed the Customs. He solicited for more robust collaboration to curtail illicit import. “NAFDAC will carry on further investigation on the consignment and we will get back to customs on our findings,” Ogunrinde said.
