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INVESTIGATION AND ENFORCEMENT DIRECTORATE’S ADDITION TO DG’S PRESS CONFERENCE ON NOODLES COMING UP ON 22/6/2023
- FOOD FRAUD PERPETRATED BY A CARTEL (G-MAN DRINK)
A case of importation, distribution and sale of unregistered and expired G-Man organic energy drink was investigated by the Investigation and Enforcement Directorate in Asaba, Delta state. One Mr Okeke Udeze Francis of No 28 Otigba Crescent, G.R.A Onitsha, Anambra state was arrested with expired G-Man organic energy drink in Onitsha, Anambra state. Further investigation led to a warehouse in Aba, Abia state where evidence of revalidation of the expiry date of the drink was established. The case was subsequently transferred to the office of the Director, Investigation and Enforcement Directorate in Lagos where Mr Okeke admitted to dealing on the product (G-Man energy drink) and he stated that he got the product from one Mr Uchenna Nwachi through one Mr Collins in Aba, Abia state. Following this revelation, investigation was intensified to get the other suspects arrested.
Further investigation revealed that the violative G-Man energy drink was manufactured in Germany and was imported into Nigeria when some of the products were already expired, and some were close to expiry (and later expired after importation). The expiry dates on the products when imported were 18/12/2020 and 18/12/2022. The violative products were sent to Nigeria by one Mr Paschal Emeka Udo, who is said to be based in the United Kingdom.
Mr Wilson John who was an accomplice in the case was later arrested after we extracted a video recording of him cleaning the original date markings on the products with the intent to affix an extended date marking on the G-Man energy drink.
This is a case of food fraud, where the suspects intentionally aspired to deceive its customers about the quality of the food they are purchasing, even though the food (G-Man) had gone past the best before date and the quality would have degraded.
Mr Uchenna Nwachi, who contracted out the revalidation of the product to Mr Wilson (a staff of the importer) was also arrested and in custody.
Two of the suspects including the importer of the products are still at large and efforts are still on to arrest them.
The suspects in custody will be charged to court.
- ARREST Of MR EMMANUEL OBIDIKE, MANAGING DIRECTOR OF TOMATCH INVESTMENT LTD, ELECTRONIC MARKET, ONITSHA, A NOTORIOUS COUNTERFEIT MEDICINES AND NARCOTIC DRUGS MERCHANT,
Intelligence tracking of a suspected importer of fake Basslox capsules (ampicillin 250mg + cloxacillin 250mg) lead to the arrest of an infamous counterfeit medicines and narcotics drugs importer and distributor, Mr Emmanuel Obidike.
Painstaking surveillance and investigation on the reported case of Basslox capsules lead to the arrest of one Mr Anayo Okoye who eventually led us to Mr Emmanuel Obidike who is a notorious importer of counterfeit medicines. Mr Obidike is known in the underworld counterfeit drugs trade as “Emma to-match” which is a fall out of his criminal act of counterfeiting popular brands of drugs. Some international brands of drugs, packaging materials and security materials were recovered from the warehouse of Mr Obidike.
These include the following:
| S/N | PRODUCT NAME | BATCH NO | MAN. DATE | EXPIRY DATE | NAFDAC REG. NO. | QUANTITY |
| 1. | Combiart tabs 20mg/120mg (un-packed) | B. 7225119 | NILL
|
02/2025 | 24 x 1600 blisters | |
| 2. | Combiart 20mg/120mg tablets | 7225119E | 10/2022 | 09/2025 | A4-6700 | 24 X 8 |
| 3. | Combiart tabs leaflets | Nill | Nill | Nill | Nill | 10 pieces |
| 4. | Combiart tabs secondary packaging materials | 7225119 | Nill | Nill | A4-6700 | 120 pieces |
| 5. | Augmentin tabs
625mg |
562626 | 04/2021 | 04/2024 | 04-1928 | 14 x 29 |
| 6. | Augmentin tabs 625mg (unpacked) | 562626
|
04/21 | 04/24 | Nill | 7 x 1244 sachets |
| 7. | Augmentin secondary packaging materials and security holograms | 562626 | 04/21 | 04/24 | 04-3397 | 105 pieces |
| 8. | Coartem tabs 20mg/120mg | F2261 | 02/2022 | 02/2025 | 04-3275 | 24 x 30 x 10 |
| 9. | Coartem tabs 20mg/120mg (unpacked) | F2261 | Nill | 06/2024 | Nill | 10 x 24 |
| 10. | Coartem secondary packaging materials | F2261 | 02/22 | 02/25 | 04-3275 | 94 pieces |
| 11. | Primolut – N tabs
5mg |
000677/2961834 | Nill | Nill | Nill | 30 x 20 x 5 |
| 12. | Primolut – N secondary packaging materials | 20161834 | Nill | Nill | Nill | 109 pieces |
| 13. | Artesunate tabs | 16001PS | 16/5/2020 | 16/6/2023 | 04-3397 | 20 X 12 X 2 |
| 14. | Amoxil caps
500mg |
A10767 | 10/22 | 9/27 | 04-2481 | 10 X 10 X 70 |
| 15. | Amoxy caps
500mg |
AO23683 | 01/22 | 01/25 | 05-5232 | 10 x 10 x 27 |
| 16. | Amcloxin caps | A014145 | 01/22 | 06/24 | 04-4024 | 10 X 10 X 100 |
| 17. | Aldomet coated tabs
250mg |
J174 | 09/22 | 09/25 | Nill | 10 x 10 x 44 |
| 18. | Kriscine tabs | KMPL1204 | 04/21 | 03/25 | A4-6572 | 20 x 20 |
| 19. | New Divine chloramphenicol caps | NOP/CPA/0016 | 09/22 | 08/25 | B4-2515 | 10 x 10 x 84 |
| 20. | Chlorpheniramine tabs
4mg |
CM206 | 03/22 | 02/25 | Nil | 1000 x 35 |
The Marketing Authorization Holders of the international brands confirmed that the products recovered from Mr Emmanuel Obidike were not from their company and therefore were fake. The two suspects have been arraigned at Federal High Court in Awka Anambra state.
- REVALIDATION OF EXPIRY DATES OF UNREGISTERED EXPIRED ANIMALS FEED PREMIX – NAFDAC SEALS WAREHOUSE WITH GOODS WORTH N1.9B IN ABUJA
On the 9th of June 2023, the Investigation and Enforcement Directorate stormed a warehouse belonging to Feed Avenue Limited in the Idu Industrial area of the Federal Capital Territory following an intelligence report. The company, belonging to a French national was revalidating the expiry dates of expired animal feeds premix which were not registered by NAFDAC. Some of the products and accessories found in the warehouse were as follows:
| S.N | PRODUCT/ACCESSORY | QUANTITY |
| 1 | Fertility boost | 1000 bags |
| 2 | Broiler premix | 1000 bags |
| 3 | Feed boost | 140 bags |
| 4 | Milk boost | 80 bags |
| 5 | Layer premix | 200 bags |
| 6 | Unlabelled finished products | 52 bags |
| 7 | Defi tusk premium | 1,080 bags |
| 8 | Layer premix colourant 2.5% | 1000 bags |
| 9 | Premix pig | 150 bag |
| 10 | Nigeria home polo | 80 bags |
| 11 | Dry boost | 40 bags |
| 12 | Empty 2mg international 35220 Chateaubourg bags | 3,500 bags |
| 13 | Sealing machine | 1 piece |
| 14 | Sowing machine | 2 pieces |
| 15 | Sowing thread | 2 pieces |
| 16 | Different labels | 5,000 pieces |
The warehouse manager who was on ground as at the time of visit gave the total value of the revalidated finished products at one billion and nine hundred million naira (N1,900,000,000.0) only. The warehouse was sealed and the warehouse manager was arrested. The French national who own the company refused to show up to honour the invitation that we extended to him as he immediately travelled out of Nigeria afterwards. Premixes are not intended for direct feeding of animals. They are complex mixtures of vitamins, minerals, trace elements and other feed additives that are incorporated at levels between 0.2% and 0.5% in the compound feed, manufacturing of which requires specific technology and is often performed by specialized companies. Premixes fall under food in the statutory grouping of NAFDAC regulated products, and are therefore registered as food. Feed Avenue Ltd is carrying out illegal production of unregistered food products and even committing a criminal act of revalidating expired products.
The products were sampled against the company and have been sent to NAFDAC laboratory for analysis after which appropriate sanction will be meted out to the company.
NAFDAC………safeguarding the health of the Nation!!!
Director General
