The Nigerian Health Agency (NAFDAC [1]) has recently announced the seizure of counterfeit drugs worth over 40 million naira (or more than US$200 000) in Asaba, Delta State. The agency said the drugs were found in the apartment of the suspect, Paul Eli, 32. The seizure includes counterfeit Maloxine, Lumatem, Lofnac, Buscomac and Rysovin.
The accused, a graduate in Management Sciences, was arrested at his home where he was packing counterfeit medicines. Falsified boxes included a mobile authentication number as the authentic box. The suspect seems practicing this trade for over a year and said handling only the packaging of tablets totally denying the drugs were counterfeit. He said his business partner, based in Lagos, was in charge of import of these medicines from India.
According to the Director-General of NAFDAC, the agency seized worth over 500 billion naira fake drugs between 2009 and 2015.