Beware Of Counterfeiters Of Any Products

 Metro Watch

 

 October 31, 2015

 

 Crime

•Seals 3 shops

 

 

The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, NAFDAC, this Saturday impounded suspected fake and substandard fast moving skin lightening cream, bathing soaps as well as serum worth millions of naira in Lagos even as it sealed three shops in the process in connection with the offensive products.

The suspected fake products identified as Q7 range of cosmetics products impounded during the Agency’s raid and enforcement exercise at the Lagos Trade Fair complex include; Q7 whiteniser body milk strong treatment, Q7 carotte multi- active whitening serum, Ndak Q7 whitening body lotion with manufacturing dates: 07/2015 and expiry dates: 06/2020 and Q7 gold soap among others.

The impounded products originally registered with NAFDAC by ‘Visible Image Cosmetics Company Nigeria Limited’, were said to have been brought into the country through yet to be identified illegal sources.

The bubble however bust when intelligence and surveillance by NAFDAC confirmed the presence of the offending products in some shops and warehouse at the Trade Fair market complex.

Addressing journalists shortly after the raid in company of other regulatory officers and security operatives,the team leader and Chief Regulatory Officer, Enforcement Operations, Mr.Joseph Idowu confirmed that the raid became necessary following intelligence reports about the presence of the offending products in the markets and shops.

Idowu noted that already the Agency had evacuated the suspected injurious products, sealed the shops as well as invited the shop owners for further interrogations and investigation.

He further explained that the products were impounded because they were unregistered and from illegal sources.“We are removing from the market Q7 range of products suspected to be fake.The agency had registered Q7 range of products with NAFDAC numbers on them.

“But from what we are seeing from the products evacuated, you can observe that NAFDAC number is not on them and they are coming from unauthorised sources”.

Idowu said “We have given them invitation to report on Monday and have sealed the shops.We expect them to tell us how and where they get the products from.  As soon as the owners open up, we will send the products to the laboratory for further analysis to ascertain the genuineness of the products after which the agency will take a decision”.

He disclosed that in conjunction with the original brand owners of the products, NAFDAC would continue to mop up the offending products anywhere it was found.

On the health implications of the products,the enforcement officer who regretted that the products could be injurious to health said: “Any product not registered and tested by NAFDAC has not been certified to be fit for consumers.These products contain injurious substances that are harmful to the skin; and if allowed into the market people will be buying products that can cause health hazards to them”.

He regretted that despite the enlightenment campaigns, consultative meetings, sensitisation workshops and other methods adopted over the years to discourage importation, distribution, sales and consumption of these products, people continued to engage in violation of regulatory requirements.

He consequently asked for the cooperation of members of the public to assist to expose the major importers and distributors of these outlawed products and their warehouses.