The National Agency for Food and Drugs Administration and Control on Wednesday in Abuja arrested five persons for selling counterfeit cosmetics.

The arrest was made at the Garki and Wuse axis during enforcement to curb substandard goods.

Speaking with journalists after the exercise, NAFDAC Head of Investigation and Enforcement, Federal Taskforce, Embugushiki-Musa Godiya, said that the arrested persons would be investigated.

Mr Godiya said that NAFDAC would work to ensure that fake cosmetics and other counterfeit products were completely wiped out of the country.

He said that the agency had been investigating some of the counterfeit cosmetics following intelligence reports, adding that some of the products were illegally imported into the country, despite security at the border.

He added, “NAFDAC is present in all the ports of entry of the country, but with the nature of our borders, these smugglers will always find a way to beat the system that the government had put in place. That is why if they escape from the port or borders, we go to the market and to all the places, gather intelligence report, go after them and confiscate the products for possible prosecution.’’

He said that the market value of the seized cosmetics was N35 million, adding that the agency would continue investigating the issue, to unravel the level of involvement of the suspects.

Mr Godiya said that after investigation, the management of the agency would take its regulatory action, which probably may be prosecution of those suspects for the crime committed.

He called on Nigerians to collaborate with the agency to fight against counterfeit products in the country.

(NAN)