NAFDAC clamps down on unregistered cosmetics in Lagos raids

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The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has closed down three cosmetics stores and conducted raids on several others in Lagos for engaging in the illegal sale and stocking of unregistered products.

The crackdown targeted establishments selling “Dr. Teal’s” brand cosmetics following a complaint from the trademark holder regarding potential counterfeit products. NAFDAC confiscated samples for laboratory testing to ascertain their safety and authenticity.

On Wednesday, the agency’s enforcement unit raided the cosmetics sections of the Lagos International Trade Fair Complex and other prominent cosmetics outlets in the Egbeada and Ikeja areas of Lagos. Acting on information provided by concerned citizens, they took action against two suspected stores situated at the trade fair complex along Excellent Line. Although the shop owners were absent during the raids, their attendants received invitation letters, and some shops were sealed off.

Managers of the affected stores and supermarkets asserted having documentation to validate their products and pledged to furnish them upon request.

During a press briefing at the Trade Fair Complex, Mr. Ishildi Sunday, the Team lead and Chief Regulatory Officer of NAFDAC’s Investigation and Enforcement Directorate, disclosed that NAFDAC had received complaints from the trademark owner concerning alleged counterfeit products 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.”

He mentioned that the affected stores would be allowed to resume operations once they have undergone the required sanctions mandated for the sale, production, or distribution of unregistered products.

Sunday explained that if the shop owners found to be at fault, they would be subject to an administrative fine of N5 million for selling unregistered products, as per NAFDAC’s prescribed tariff.

“Retailers and suppliers are liable and NAFDAC will penalise violators,” Sunday stressed. He insisted that NAFDAC would be charged with the necessary sanctions.

“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 for stocking and selling the Moisturising Body and Bath range of the alleged unregistered Dr. Teal’s brand of cosmetic product to the public.    He was issued an invitation letter to the NAFDAC office.

The owner, however, professed ignorance of the allegation regarding the product’s lack of registration and guided the team to the ‘Perfect Trust’ store situated in the Kano Plaza building, where he claimed to have made the purchase.

Although the enforcement team verified the presence of various product ranges in the store, it was not sealed as the Cubana owner failed to produce the necessary purchase receipt.

At Okas Global Link Ltd, suspected to be the distributor of unregistered Dr. Teal’s products, large cartons of Dr. Teals and other unregistered items were discovered. Over 200 cartons of various Dr. Teal’s ranges were seized by NAFDAC.

Regarding the health implications of using such products, Sunday highlighted numerous health risks associated with counterfeit cosmetics. He explained that the adverse effects depend on the bleaching agents or active ingredients present in the cosmetics. For instance, if a cosmetic product contains mercury, a bleaching agent, it can lead to the development of wrinkles, red-dark patches on the skin, and potentially skin cancer.

“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.”

Supporting his stance during the raid in Ikeja, Mr. Ushadari Kayam, the Team Lead and Assistant Director of Investigation and Enforcement at NAFDAC, reiterated that the shop owners had disregarded NAFDAC’s repeated warnings regarding the stocking and sale of unregistered products.

Kayam highlighted that some of the products were unregistered, counterfeit, and adulterated, indicating that they would be subject to investigation. He further stated that the owners of the supermarkets had been summoned for questioning.