The National Drug Authority (NDA) together with police this week arrested seven people in Lyantonde and Lukaya, who are suspected to be dealing in counterfeit veterinary drugs.
Abiaz Rwamwiri, the Head of Public Relations at NDA says the suspects have been repackaging and rebranding expired fumigants into acaricides, de-wormers and eye drops, “which is dangerous to the lives of animals and humans.”
“Over 1.5 tonnes of expired and counterfeited assorted veterinary drugs, Agrochemicals, packaging materials, labels, bottle tops and measuring cups were recovered in this operation,” he said
He said that the suspects are currently being held in Lyantonde and Masaka Police Stations and they wait to be paraded before courts of law for prosecution over these illegal acts.
According to the Public health act of 2012, any person who contravenes sections 111-124 that involves selling of a drug, cosmetic, medical device or any household chemical substance that is prohibited commits an offence and is liable on summary conviction to a fine of not less than 7500 penalty units or a term of imprisonment of not less than 15years or both.
Rwamwiri said that the 7 suspects will also be charged under section 112(2) that states that “A person who labels, packages, sells or advertises any other article in a way that is likely to be mistaken for the drug, herbal medicinal product, cosmetic medical device or household chemical substance commits an offence’’.
The Public Health Act 2012 clearly states that before a person manufactures a drug, herbal medicinal product, medical device or a household chemical substance he or she must be supervised by a pharmacist or a qualified person approved by the authority and then after makes an application for the registration of the product in the prescribed manner which the suspects did neither.
“NDA calls upon the public to remain vigilant to report them such suspicious acts always because these chemicals end into dairy products hence one of the issues linked to increased cases of cancer in the country,” he said
