'I don't produce fake drugs, i only package them'- 58yr old suspect

The Lagos State Police Command has accused a 58-year-old Ikenna Nne of producing “large quantity of” substandard drugs.

The suspect, however, said he never produced drugs but only packaged them in a way that made them look original.

Some of the drugs found in his possession comprise five large cartons of fake Zentel tablets, thousands of packs of Zentel tablets and a large quantity of printed packets for packaging Postinor tablets.

The suspect however said although the goods were not produced by the real manufacturers, they were still as effective.

“You can call the goods fake but they are effective. I use the drugs and they work for me. I can even administer the drugs to my children,” he said.

Asked how he got into the illegitimate business, the suspect angrily responded by saying he had worked in a pharmaceutical company in India.

He said, “I repair machines for pharmaceutical companies and I’ve even worked in a company in India before. I however do not produce the drugs.

“Some time ago, one Uche brought machines to my place for repairs but after I had fixed them, he left them in my worskshop and he told me to assist him in packaging drugs.

“For each drum of drugs I package, he pays me N20,000 while he pays me N35,000 for using my place every month. I don’t market the drugs neither do I produce, I only package.”

When asked where the drugs originated from, the suspect said they were imported from India and China.

He however denied ownership of the goods, claiming innocence.

He said, “I’m not the owner of the goods. The reason this large quantity of goods were found in my possession is that I seized them after Uche refused to pay me.

“I only put the goods in blisters; I don’t produce neither do I market them.”

The spokesperson for the state police command, Ngozi Braide, said the suspect would be handed over to the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control.

She said, “On March 15, 2013, at about 5pm, based on information, the suspect, who is the owner and occupier of the premises situated at 5 Arochukwu Street, Ejigbo, has on his premiises machines for producing counterfeit drugs.

“The Divisional Police Officer, Ejigbo, Inoma-Abbey, led a team of operatives to cordon and search the premises and two packing machines, one blistering machine and the cartons of fake drugs were recovered.

“He will be handed over to NAFDAC for further investigation.”