The Oyo/Osun Area Command of the Nigerian Customs Service has intercepted fake pharmaceutical drugs valued at 596 million and 49 sacks of Cannabis Sativa worth over 46 million naira.
The seized items were handed over to the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control and the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency by the command’s controller Ben Oramulugo.
According to the World Health Organisation, the prevalence of counterfeit drugs in Nigeria is approximately 16.7%.
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This is a significant concern, as counterfeit drugs are responsible for 20-30% of medication-related deaths and Nigeria loses over 300 billion annually to this menace. (GFX)
In it’s fight against this problem, the Oyo-Osun command of the Nigeria Customs has handed over substandard drugs worth over 500 million to NAFDAC, expressing concern over the implications for Nigerians.
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Additionally, Cannabis sativa worth over 46 million naira was handed over to the National Drug Law Enforcement Agency, attributed to collaborative efforts.
The Comptroller revealed that Command’s efforts aligns with the policy thrust of Comptroller General of Customs Bashir Adeniyi in fighting against smuggling activities across the country.