Police Arrest Two Over Suspected Counterfeit Drugs, Hand Case To NAFDAC –
Lagos Police Arrest Two for Trafficking Counterfeit Pharmaceuticals
The Lagos State Police Command has apprehended two individuals accused of trafficking adulterated and counterfeit pharmaceutical products. The suspects have been transferred to the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) for further investigation and prosecution.
Operatives from the Command’s Violent Crime Response Unit (VCRU) conducted an intelligence-led operation at a warehouse on Otto Causeway in Lagos. There, they discovered the suspects allegedly repackaging counterfeit medicines intended for distribution across Nigeria and other West African countries.
Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Fatai Tijani, reported that preliminary investigations suggest the suspects have been engaged in this illicit trade for approximately two years.
“The suspects were found repackaging suspected adulterated pharmaceutical products for distribution to various regions of Nigeria,” Tijani stated.
Following their arrest, the suspects guided detectives to a second warehouse, where officers seized a truck loaded with suspected adulterated pharmaceuticals along with additional evidence.
The recovered items included around 300 cartons of suspected adulterated Omeprazole, six bags of unpackaged suspected counterfeit Viagra, as well as other drugs such as Ampiclox, Septrin, and Piriton. In addition, more than 300 empty printed packs and cartons were found, believed to be used for repackaging the products.
Commending the VCRU operatives, Tijani praised the operation as a testament to professionalism and intelligence-led policing.
The suspects, along with the seized items and case file, were then handed over to NAFDAC for further action. Dr. Martins Iluyomade, NAFDAC’s Director of Investigation and Enforcement, stated that the agency will seek to ensure accountability for all individuals implicated in the alleged crime.
“We will ensure the prosecution of all those involved in this criminal enterprise,” Iluyomade said.
As of now, the allegations against the suspects have not been tested in court.
