NAFDAC Uncovers Massive Counterfeit Drug Operation in Anambra. In a shocking discovery, the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has seized over 10 trucks loaded with fake, expired, and falsified drugs worth billions of naira at the Ogbo-Ogwu Bridge Head Market in Onitsha, Anambra State.
The agency’s Director of South East Zone, Dr. Martins Iluyomade, revealed that the market serves as a hub for repackaging and revalidating expired medicines with false claims, which are later sold to unsuspecting consumers. The seized trucks are being transported to NAFDAC’s control room for further inspection and eventual destruction.
Key Findings: Fake and Expired Drugs: Over 90% of the shops investigated in the market were dealing in fake, substandard, repackaged, and counterfeit drugs. Bribery Attempts: Traders offered bribes totaling N135 million to NAFDAC operatives to halt the exercise. Repackaging and Rebranding: Machines used to rebrand, repackage, and alter expiry dates of medicines were discovered during the raid.
QNAFDAC has reaffirmed its commitment to eliminating the circulation of substandard and falsified drugs in Nigeria. The agency is also reviewing its laws to impose stricter penalties, including life imprisonment or the death penalty, for those involved in the production and distribution of dangerous pharmaceutical products.