The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has intercepted and confiscated 35 cartons of syrups containing codeine.
Martins Iluyomade, Director, NAFDAC South East Zone, disclosed this to newsmen in Awka on Monday.
Iluyomade said a team of officers led by Louis Mmadubuatta, the Coordinator of NAFDAC in Anambra, stormed two warehouses at the Bridge Head Market and recovered the items. He said codeine remains prohibited for distribution in the open market due to its psychoactive contents.
He said codeine had been abused by people especially the youth and had manifested in a number of vices including rape, crime and mental health problems.
According to him, two packing stores located at the Bridge Head Drug Market, Onitsha, were visited by a team of officers of Anambra office led by the state coordinator.
“In total, 35 cartons and some fraction of codeine syrup were evacuated from the two warehouses.
“Codeine remains a restricted drug, it is prohibited from distribution in the open market because of its negative social and mental consequences if abused,” he said.