By Praise Afolabi
Officials of the agency intercepted 277 cartons of the fake product, branded as Malamal Forte, at a warehouse in the Ilasa-Oshodi area. The cartons, which were disguised as shipments of Diclofenac Potassium 50mg, had been smuggled into the country from China’s Shanxi Tianyuan Pharmaceuticals Group. Investigators said the consignment was declared as “spare parts” to evade detection at the port.
NAFDAC Director-General, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, confirmed the development and warned that counterfeit medicines pose a grave risk to public health. She assured Nigerians that the agency, working with the Presidency and the Federal Ministry of Health, is intensifying efforts to track and dismantle drug counterfeiting networks across the country.
“This is part of our sustained nationwide operation to safeguard public health and ensure that only safe and quality medicines are accessible in Nigeria,” Adeyeye said.
The latest seizure underscores the scale of the battle against fake pharmaceuticals in Nigeria, where malaria remains one of the leading causes of illness and death.
