The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has commenced a mop-up of sachet alcoholic drinks and alcohol below 200ml from shops across Edo.

The exercise was carried out on Friday in Benin during enforcement operations at Mission Road and New Benin Market, where the agency seized the affected products.

Speaking during the operation, the squad leader, Ugwu Agu, deputy director, investigation and enforcement, South-South/South-East Zone, Asaba, said the agency acted on credible intelligence.

He said he represented Martins Iluyomade, director, investigation and enforcement, and chairman, Federal Task Force on Counterfeit and Fake Drugs and Unwholesome Processed Foods, NAFDAC Nigeria.

“We had credible intelligence that these alcohol products are in this place. So we came here, we saw it, and we are mopping it up,” Mr Agu said.

He said the exercise was intended to sound a note of warning that the sale of such products was no longer tolerable under existing regulations.

Mr Agu said the products had negatively affected youths and children who could easily purchase them and conceal them in their pockets because of their small sizes.

According to him, limiting access to alcohol, especially for persons below 18 years, is in line with resolutions signed by NAFDAC and the World Health Assembly.

“We are trying to mop it up. Wherever we see it in any market, we will mop it up and take it away from circulation. That is what the law says,” he said.

Similar banned products were also found and seized at New Benin Market during the enforcement operation.

On the deadline for compliance, Mr Agu said the last day for the sale of the products had elapsed, making continued availability a violation of the directive.

“The last day was supposed to be the 20th. For it to be here is a violation. They have been given different times to readjust,” he said.

He said while the products were no longer displayed in markets in Lagos and other parts of the federation, intelligence indicated that Edo remained non-compliant.

“We heard that Edo is very recalcitrant. They don’t want to obey this rule, and that is why we are saying that enough is enough,” he added.

Mr Agu recalled that the NAFDAC office in Edo had earlier, on September 18, carried out another mop-up operation at two distributors’ warehouses in the state.

He said the warehouses were sealed pending the evacuation of the products for destruction in line with regulatory requirements.

(NAN)