SHS graduate, others arrested for producing fake drugs

The Food Drugs Authority (FDA) in collaboration with the Criminal Investigations Department (CID) of the Ghana Police Service, on Friday, arrested 22 suspected local aphrodisiac manufacturers in Accra and Kumasi.

In Accra, 20 men and two women were picked up by police around Adabraka Sahara, the Kwame Nkrumah Circle and the Central Business District.

Some of the local aphrodisiacs seized from the suspects included K. Badu Tonic Capsules and Piles Mixtures, Biegya Power, AK 47 Super Sex Medicine, Aduana Garlic Bitters, Tramadol, M2 Premium Peptide Magic Snow Vita and Super Liquid.

The Head of Herbal Department at the FDA, Emmanuel Yaw Kwarteng, said the effort was part of activities to clamp down on dealers of unwholesome products to save the lives of consumers.

One of the suspects, Samuel Owusu who is a Senior High School graduate from Ejisu in the Ashanti Region, narrated how he manufactures his products including a brand of Mouth Wash saying, “I buy the original mouthwash from the Ernest Chemist and buy Hydrogen Peroxide, mix them together, dilute with water and put them in the bottles to sell.”

Owusu said he had undergone a day’s course on how to manufacture the mouthwash and liquid soap which was all the training he had received to manufacture the product.

Mr Kwarteng said the operation against the drug manufacturers was an ongoing process and would be sustained by the FDA and the Police, but called on the registered herbal companies and the general public to report any suspected fake medicines on the market to the Authority.

He also revealed that some unapproved medicines had been seized by the Ashanti Regional FDA Office in Kumasi and investigations are still being conducted while efforts were being made to put the alleged perpetrators before the courts.

He said some of the medicines were concoctions that had no label on them to indicate the kind of ingredients used in manufacturing them and had no warnings detailing the right ways they should be used.

The Head of Herbal Department of the FDA said many of the medicines were being brought to the country through unapproved routes including footpaths and the FDA has no control over them.

Mr Kwarteng appealed to the Herbalist Association to help the FDA to flush out the illegal drugs in the society.