Kumasi: Police, FDA arrest six drug peddlers in market swoop

The police have arrested six persons for peddling drugs in Kumasi. A joint team from the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) and the police embarked on a market swoop in a post-market surveillance at Racecourse and Bantama.

The Public Health Act of 2012 formed the basis for the exercise. Speaking to Asaase News, the Ashanti Regional head of the FDA, John Laryea Odai-Tettey, said the team seized large quantities of unregistered drugs during the routine inspection.

He stated that the suspects have been handed over to the police for further investigations.

He said “the exercise we carried out was just one of the routine ones which led to the arrest of the persons.

“And we did that around the Racecourse and Bantama areas. Six people were arrested who are with the police and they will be processed. The law also gives the authorization to issue regulatory fines, so that is where we are now.”

Taking legal action

Odai-Tettey warned that the authority will soon take legal action against advertisers, including radio stations and information centers, who use their platforms to market unregistered products.

He said “when it comes to the FDA regulated products, the product must be registered. If you want to advertise, the advertisement must also be approved. So, these people are also in the same class of people doing the wrong things, just like how some radio stations advertise drugs that have not been approved.”

Odai-Tettey emphasised the law’s position on the sale and advertisement of unregistered products.

He said, “the law says no one should advertise products that have not received the approval, so both the owner of the product and the medium advertising are both culpable.

“We want to send this signal to them [drug peddlers] that wherever they are ,they are cautioned to desist from this illegal act because we will come after them.”

Odai-Tettey advised retailers to verify the proof of registration before they buy drugs. He added that they should report challenges to the authority for immediate action.

The FDA boss said “we want to encourage the general public to buy their medicines from the registered places. They must always ensure that the product is registered. If they take any medicine that gives them untold feelings or experience, they should promptly report to any FDA office for the immediate action to be taken.

Those who sell in large quantities, the wholesalers and retailers should also ensure that before they buy from the distributers, they should see proof of registration or check with the FDA.”

Reporting by Irene Pomaa Kumi in the Ashanti Region

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