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National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, NAFDAC, has shut down three cosmetics shops in Lagos. The agency in its bid to sanitize the society of fake products raided several shops in different part of the State. The shops were raided for the illegal sale and stocking of unregistered products.

According to reports, the raid targeted specifically shops selling “Dr. Teal’s” brand cosmetics. The operation followed a complaint from the trademark holder about potential fakes.

Following the raids, NAFDAC seized samples for laboratory testing to verify their safety and authenticity.

The Agency’s enforcement unit on Wednesday raided the cosmetics section of the Lagos International Trade Fair Complex. They also visited other leading cosmetics shops in Egbeada and Ikeja areas in Lagos.

NAFDAC in statement pointed that raid followed a tip-off from concerned Nigerians. They maintained that two suspected shops located at the trade fair complex along Excellent Line were raid. “While the shop owners were not present, attendants were issued invitation letters, and some shops were sealed,” NAFDAC said.

Vanguard reported that some managers of the affected shops and supermarkets claimed to have documents to back up their products. They also promised to make the papers available.

But addressing journalists at the Trade Fair Complex, the Chief Regulatory Officer of NAFDAC Investigation and Enforcement Directorate, Mr. Ishildi Sunday dismissed the claim. He said NAFDAC received a complaint from the trademark owner about alleged fakes and the market authorization holder.

He said: “Technically, any regulated product that does not have a NAFDAC registration number is considered fake.  As it is, any product that is not registered, we cannot vouch for the quality and safety of the use of the product by the general public.

“Since it is our mandate as an agency to safeguard the health of Nigerians and ensure that all regulated products are safe and of good quality, we can only confirm its safety through laboratory analyses.”

Sunday said the shops affected would be reopened after administering the necessary stipulated sanctions for the sale, manufacture or distribution of unregistered products.

He pointed that if the affected shop owners are found guilty they would pay an administrative penalty for sales of unregistered products of N5 million according to NAFDAC’s stipulated tariff.

“Retailers and suppliers are liable and NAFDAC will penalize violators,” Sunday stressed. He insisted that NAFDAC will charge the culprit with the necessary sanctions if found guilty.

The CRO, however. stated that, “Our focus was primarily on Dr. Teal’s. Therefore, to avoid distractions, we’re considering the exigencies and the number of shops we have to visit. And we focus mainly on the product in question.

“We evacuated 3 unregistered products; shower gel, oil, lotion etc.  We have also issued invitation letters to them. Also, another shop called Cubana Stores (Global Venture) located at Phil Hallmark Plaza, was sealed. The shop was sealed for stocking and selling the Moisturizing Body and Bath range of the alleged unregistered Dr. Teal’s brand. He was issued an invitation letter to the NAFDAC office,” Sunday said.

But reacting to the closure of the shop, the owner, whose name was not given, claimed unaware of the allegation. He denied the allegation of non-registration of the product. He indicated readiness to lead the team to the ‘Perfect Trust’, located at the Kano Plaza building, where he claimed to have bought it.

Vanguard reported that the enforcement team confirmed various ranges of the products in the shop. But the shop was not sealed as the Cubana owner was not able to produce the required receipt of purchase.

The highpoint of the raid was at Okas Global Link Ltd, where large cartons of Dr. Teals and other unregistered products were discovered. The owner of the shop was suspected to be the distributor of the unregistered Dr. Teal’s products. Over 200 cartons of various ranges of the product were confiscated by NAFDAC.

Speaking on the effect of using such products on health, Sunday said a lot of health challenges were associated with the use of fake cosmetics products. He, however, said it depends on the bleaching agents or the active ingredients in the particular cosmetic.

He said for instance, “if a cosmetics product contains mercury which is a bleaching agent, the person will develop wrinkles. The person can also develop red-dark patches on the skin that would eventually lead to skin cancer.

He, however, stated that some products are exempted by the agency. “Some of them, like hydroquinone, NAFDAC allows only a certain percentage. But when it is in excess, it becomes a threat to the skin. You know, skin toning has to do with inhibitions of the enzyme that produces melanin that gives us natural pigmentation. So, what the compound does is inhibit the activities of these enzymes that convert phenylalanine. Which is a precursor to melanin that gives us skin pigment from being active, leading to toning or bleaching of the skin.”

source: Vanguard 

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