Accra, Oct. 9, GNA - The Food and Drugs Board (FDB) has arrested a 39-year-old Nigerian, Innocent Obiara Ugwuanyi, for allegedly distributin= g fake Augmentin, an antibiotic used for the treatment of serious infection= s. The original drug is manufactured by Glaxosmithkline of the United Kingdom (UK) while the fake drug bears the label SmithKlineBeecham to mislead users. Speaking to the Ghana News Agency in Accra on Friday, Dr. Stephen Kwabena Opuni, Chief Executive Officer of FDB, said they had information about two weeks ago that the suspect was selling the fake drug on the mar= ket hence the despatch of a team from the inspectorate department of FDB to investigate. "Fortunately, the post market surveillance team managed to arrest th= e suspect at the New Page Chemist at Zongo Lane in Accra owned by Mr Kofi Krofa who insisted that he did not know the contents of the bag containin= g the fake drugs," he said.

Dr. Opuni said during interrogation, the suspect said the fake drugs=

were given to him by two Nigerians (a man and a woman) to distribute and because he had no shop went to Zongo Lane and deposited them at the shop. "The suspect said the two Nigerians had returned to Nigeria to bring=

more and was selling a box for GH¢12 instead of the original price of G= H¢25, "he added. Dr. Opuni said results from the Quality Control laboratory indicated=

that there was no active pharmaceutical ingredient in the fake drug as stated on the pack. He assured the public that the FBD would endeavour to rid the market= of fake drugs and appealed to the public to report people dealing in fake dr= ugs to the FDB. Dr. Opuni called for a review of the law to ensure stiffer punishmen= t for offenders. Under PNDC Law 305B, anyone found selling a fake drug is liable to t= wo years imprisonment without the option of a fine. The suspect has been handed over to the police for further investigations.