No less than seven pharmaceutical stores in Akure were sealed off on Thursday by the Ondo State Task Force on Fake and Counterfeit Drugs.

Their offence includes non-possession of operational licences, sale of controlled and expired drugs and storing of drugs in an unconducive environment, among other unprofessional practices.

Speaking on the closure, the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Health, Folukemi Aladenola, said the enforcement exercise was geared towards eradicating the menace of fake and counterfeit drugs in the state.

Mrs Aladenola added that the operation became necessary because of the proliferation and usage of controlled drugs and those not prescribed and ignorantly purchased from unregistered pharmaceutical stores.

She added that the monitoring of pharmaceutical outlets was a routine one in the ministry, stressing that it would be a continuous exercise.

Mrs Aladenola tasked members of the task force to be resolute in the discharge of their duties.

Similarly, the Director of Pharmaceutical Services in the Ministry of Health, Gbenga Lasekan, stated that because of the high demand for drugs, some unscrupulous persons had resorted to selling fake and counterfeit drugs.

Mr Lasekan said that the sale of fake and substandard pharmaceutical products had increased the number of failed medical treatments, adding that the enforcement team was determined to make the state safe where people would be sure that they are getting genuine drugs for the treatment of any illness.

On the fate of the alleged fake drugs sellers, Mr Lasekan said that the committee would meet to determine their fate.

The task force comprises officials of regulative agencies such as the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NDLEA), National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), the ministry and Pharmaceutical Society of Nigeria (PSN).