Operatives of the National Agency for Food, Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) weekend arrested two suspected food fraud syndicates perpetrated by a cartel (G-man drink), and a notorious counterfeit medicine and narcotics drugs merchant.
The suspects were identified as one Okeke Udeze Francis, Mr Wilson John, Emmanuel Obidike and Anayo Okoye.
The director general, NAFDAC, Professor Mojisola Adeyeye, during her briefing in Lagos, said the suspects were arrested based on food fraud perpetrated by G-man drink and a notorious counterfeit medicine and narcotics drugs merchant investigated recently.
“The case was the importation, distribution and sale of unregistered and expired G-Man organic energy drink and was investigated by the Investigation and Enforcement Directorate in Asaba, Delta state, where one Mr Okeke Udeze Francis of No 28, Otigba Crescent, G.R.A, Onitsha, Anambra state, was arrested with expired G-Man organic energy drink in Onitsha, Anambra state.
“Investigation led to a warehouse in Aba, Abia state, where evidence of revalidation of the expiry date of the drink was established,” said Adeyeye.
She stated that the case was subsequently transferred to the office of the director, Investigation and Enforcement Directorate in Lagos, where M. Okeke admitted to dealing on the product (G-Man energy drink) and confessed that he got the product from one Mr. Uchenna Nwachi, through one Mr. Collins in Aba, Abia state.
“Investigation revealed that the G-Man energy drink was manufactured in Germany and was imported into Nigeria when some of the products had expired, and some were close to expiry and later expired after importation and this was intensified to get the other suspects arrested.”
Adeyeye stated that the intelligence tracking of a suspected importer of fake Basslox capsules (ampicillin 250mg + cloxacillin 250mg) led to the arrest of an infamous counterfeit medicines and narcotics drugs importer and distributor, Mr. Obidike, while painstaking surveillance and investigation on the reported case of Basslox capsules led to the arrest of one Mr Anayo Okoye, who eventually led us to Mr. Emmanuel Obidike, who is a notorious importer of counterfeit medicines.
She said Mr. Obidike is known in the underworld counterfeit drugs trade as “Emma to-match,” which is a fall out of his criminal act of counterfeiting popular brands of drugs.
“Some international brands of drugs, packaging materials and security materials were recovered from the warehouse of Mr Obidike, she said.
She revealed that the Marketing Authorization Holders of the international brands confirmed that the products recovered from Mr Emmanuel Obidike were not from their company and therefore were fake.
The suspects have been arraigned at Federal High Court in Awka, Anambra state.
