National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), the agency in charge of food and drug regulation in Nigeria, yesterday alerted the public about the circulation of revalidated
expired yoghurt, unregistered wines and spirits in the market.
According to Mr Orhii, "the agency has launched an investigation into the alteration of the expiry date of the yoghurt known as Dunone Ultra Mel Yoghurt".
According
to NAFDAC, a firm tampered with the expiry date of March 2015 of the
yoghurt by carefully altering the last number in the date to read March
2016. Announcing that the suspects
had been arrested by the agency, Orhii said NAFDAC was working to get
the source of the product and bring the perpetrators to book.
Meanwhile,
the agency has intercepted a truckload of various suspected counterfeit
and unregistered wines and spirits belonging to a businessman (names
withheld) along the Lagos-Badagry Expressway. Orhii
said the most worrisome thing was that the importer used official
government number plate, OGFZA (Regd.No.RV885FZE) assigned to Oil and
Gas Free Zone Authority, to deceive security operatives, adding that the
interception was made possible by vigilant officers of the agency.
He said: “The
public is, hereby, informed that the validity of yoghurt is six months.
Buyers and consumers should be watchful of processed foods and always
collect receipts upon purchase of any item.”
On examination, he said, the truck was found to contain counterfeit and unregistered wines and spirits (J&P Wine, Red Label, Villiera Fired Earth Wine and Jelzin Assorted Flavours).
Others are JP Chernet Wine, Cask and Cream, E and J Brey, among others.
Orhii further revealed that the agency had concluded plans to re-present its proposed Anti-Counterfeit Bill to the eighth Assembly with a view to getting stiffer punishments for counterfeiters of registered products.
The new bill is proposing a lifetime jail sentence for convicted counterfeiters, and also recommending the confiscation of their assets and the use of some of the confiscated assets to compensate victims.
