Crime

FDA, Police and Customs Division seize smuggled goods at Achimota

The Police in collaboration with the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) and Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) have intercepted a 40-feet truck full of contraband goods.

The goods, according to the organisations, were smuggled into the country last Tuesday.

The goods, believed to have been smuggled from Nigeria and
included sexual enhancement drugs, pirated wax prints and other pharmaceutical
products, were seized at Achimota.

Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Effia Tenge, Head of
the Public Affairs Unit of the Accra Regional Police Command, told the media
that police had a tip-off that the truck with the registration number AE 960
JEG was loaded with goods believed to be contraband had arrived from Kano in
Nigeria.

She explained that the goods were about to be offloaded
within Accra and its environs, thus, police rushed to the scene and arrested
Sani Mohammed, the driver of the vehicle, together with the goods.

DSP Tenge said the vehicle was impounded at the Regional
Police Headquarters for investigations and a search in it revealed a quantity
of the pirated wax prints and the pharmaceutical products.

The police then invited the FDA and the Customs for the necessary action to be taken, she said.

James Lartey, Public Relations Officer of the FDA in an interview said the medicines were supposed to be imported to Ghana via two approved routes.

He named the two legal routes as the Kotoka International
Airport and the Tema Habour, adding that anywhere else was illegal.

Mr Lartey said one could not import any drug unless it was
approved, noting that there were drugs that had to be stored under certain
temperatures whilst they were being imported, else, they would go bad before
their original expiry date.

The Public Relations officer said drugs which have been
approved would be kept under the right temperature.

The collaboration between FDA and the security agencies would ensure the safe disposal of the unapproved drugs as well as protect the lives, innocent citizens.

He cautioned the public against the importation of
counterfeit drugs, explaining that when found culpable, one would spend between
15 and 25 years in prison.

Unapproved importation of drugs would also lead to a fine of not less than 7,500 penalty units, equivalent ¢90,000.00, he added.

 

Source: Myjoyonline.com

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