The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), on Friday, sealed three shops at Kpaduma community 2, Asokoro District and Nyanya motor park of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT).

The agency, on Thursday, also raided drug hawkers at the Area 1 and Deidei motor parks of the territory.

19 drug hawkers and shop owners were arrested during the two operations, and are currently undergoing investigation at the agency’s head office in Abuja.

Umar Ahmed, the assistant chief regulatory officer, investigation and enforcement unit, federal task force, NAFDAC, said that the raids were part of efforts to sanitise the country of unwholesome goods and counterfeit drugs.

He said activities of drug hawkers has now become rampant in the FCT, hence the need for NAFDAC enforcement to check unwholesome acts.

Mr Ahmed said that the raid, which is also going on nationwide, followed complaints from stakeholders like the State Security Service (SSS).

“We have raided not less than 55 hawkers’ outlets in Kpaduma in Asokoro District of the FCT, and Nyanya, some of these hawkers absconded but we are able to arrest nine of them, and equally arrested 11 of them on Thursday.

“All the seized products, including that of those who absconded are with NAFDAC, with an estimated value of about N58 million for today, and N70 million for Thursday.

“These drugs are very expensive, most of them are hard drugs, including herbal preparations, majority of the drugs are aphrodisiacs and analgesics, with hard drugs like tramadol, controlled drugs like cocodamol and the rest,” he said.

He stated that the challenge facing NAFDAC when carrying out raids and enforcement activities is getting cooperation from the public.

Mr Ahmed, therefore, drew public attention to NAFDAC’s mandate of safeguarding the health of the nation, stressing that “the enforcement activity is to safeguard peoples’ health.”

The assistant chief regulatory officer announced that some of the seized products would be taken to the laboratory for further check, “and NAFDAC will take the decision to trace the real manufacturers of the products.”

He said the only authorised place to buy drugs is the licenced pharmaceutical stores and other medicine outlets, while imploring distributors to circulate only legitimate and registered drugs.

(NAN)