NAFDAC intercepts over 6bn tablets of Tramadol worth N193 bn in 1 year — DG

Director-General, National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye has revealed that the agency has intercepted more than six billion tablets of Tramadol worth about N193 billion in the last one year.

Addressing journalists in Abuja on Friday where she presented her scorecard for the last one year since her assumption of office as director general of the agency, Adeyeye disclosed that in the period under review, the agency also intercepted 321,146 cartons of unregistered pharmaceutical products worth hundreds of millions of naira.

“Since my assumption of duty, the new director of Ports Inspection Directorate and his team have intercepted 86 containers containing tramadol and other unregulated drug products.

“These include 23 40ft containers that were recently examined and found to have been loaded with tramadol of various strengths from 120mg to 250 mg tramadol and other unregistered pharmaceutical products that are known to be injurious to the health of the public most importantly to the youth of our nation.

“The tramadol is estimated to be 6,446,100,000 tablets. The worth of the tramadol alone on the street is estimated to be about N193, 383,000,000 on an average cost of N1, 500,000 per carton.

“In addition, 321,146 cartons of other unregistered pharmaceutical products that could be worth hundreds of millions of naira.

“Prevention of these dangerous drugs from entering into the Nigerian market will reduce millions of youths from hazards of drug addiction that can pose threats and are posing threats to families, Nigerian workforce and the security of the nation at large.’’

According to the DG, the agency has secured the conviction of one of the distributors of tramadol, while three others have been arraigned at the Federal High Court, Lagos.

Adeyeye, who said that the court had ordered the destruction of the seized products, explained that the agency was concluding plans to destroy more than 30 containers of tramadol and other unregistered products.

She said that the removal of the agency from the ports between 2011 and 2018, worsened the problem of the prevalence of substandard and falsified medicines, illicit drugs and unwholesome food in the country.