Speaking to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Abuja on
Wednesday, Abubakar Jimoh, Director, Special Duties, gave the figure, even as
he explained that in December 2016 alone, fake drugs worth N9.6 billion were
destroyed in Port Harcourt, Rivers, in an operation carried out in conjunction
with the Nigeria Customs Service.
He described counterfeit drugs as worthless and valueless,
adding that the N29 billion is what would have been made from sales, if the
drugs had succeeded in flooding the Nigerian markets.
“Counterfeit
drugs, as far as we are concerned have no value; but those engaged in this
dastardly act would have made N29 billion in the last three years,” he said.
Mr. Jimoh, who is also NAFDAC’s spokesman, said that seven
persons were convicted in the last two years, for various drug offences.
He said that a lady, among the fake drugs merchants, bagged
seven years imprisonment without an option of fine.
The director said that the conviction was the highest
punishment handed to any counterfeiter in recent time.
The spokesman said that the organisation currently has not
less than 50 drug offences cases pending in various courts of law across the
country.
The official expressed the hope that the courts would
convict more dealers of fake drugs to serve as deterrent to others engaged in
the nefarious business.
He said the agency was determined to get rid of counterfeit
drugs and other fake products from the country and urged Nigerians to be
vigilant and serve as `NAFDAC agents’ in exposing the perpetrators.
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