Mr Vigil Prah-Ashun, Head of Drug Market Surveillance of the FDA
As part of measures to combat fake drugs in the country, the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) with the support of some personnel from the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) Headquarters of the Ghana Police Service have clamped down on a total of 12 illegal drug peddlers [ads1]on Friday, May 4, 2018.
The swoop led by the Head of Drug Market Surveillance of the FDA, Mr Vigil Prah-Ashun who swung into action around 12:30 pm at some vital points of the Ashiaman market where the exercise was conducted arrested a total of twelve (12) illegal drug peddlers.
According to Mr. Vigil Prah-Ashun, the swoop on Ashiaman market has become necessary upon intelligence gathered which suggested it has gradually been turned into a hotbed for illicit drug peddlers hence the need to clamp on them.
“We work based on intelligence. For now, the intelligence we’ve gathered is that there are a lot of such activities going on in Ashiaman that’s why we’ve decided to go to Ashiaman today”, he stressed.
A search conducted on the confiscated drugs revealed most of them are mainly sorted, ranging from painkillers, herbal concoctions and aphrodisiac
Briefing a cross-section of the media after the swoop, Mr. Vigil Prah-Ashun disclosed the FDA would not relent on its effort to clamp down on miscreants who are into the habit of illegal drug peddling to ensure the drugs we have on our market meets the required standard and safe for human consumption.
He said most of the seized drugs were not registered by the FDA and exposed the users to danger, adding that “For that matter, we thought it’s our duty to rid them out of the market”.
Mr Prah-Ashun said his outfit is yet to conduct an investigation to ascertain drugs and if found out they dangerous for human consumption, they’ll go ahead and prosecute the culprits.
He revealed apart from the swoops the authority would also be embarking upon rigorous public education exercises to sensitize the public on how to avoid patronizing fake drugs, adding, ” until we get the results that we want we’re not going to stop”.