National Drug Authority (NDA), Wednesday arrested Philly Kikaawa, a licensed and qualified Para-veterinarian in Mutukula, Kyotera district for perpetually counterfeiting veterinary drugs.
According to a press statement by NDA’s Public Relations Manager, Abiaz Rwamwiri, Kikaawa’s arrest came after the NDA surveillance team received information that the suspect had been counterfeiting and smuggling drugs from neighboring Tanzania and selling them back to the country through the Mutukula border.
Keep Reading
Rwamwiri says the suspect who also runs a drug shop in Mutukula Town Council had been committing the crimes with the aid of other accomplices who he says are on the run.
“Kikaawa was found in possession of counterfeited Alberfas 10% (a dewormer) manufactured by Norbrook Uganda Limited, Supona Extra, an acaricide brand marketed by Etam Uganda Limited, and a purported acaricide labeled Paranex whose ingredients are yet to be established,” he said.
Rwamwiri added that Kikaawa is currently held at Mutukula Police as his case gets processed.
“His case is being processed to appear and he will be arraigned in the criminal court and where he will be charged with: supply of impure drugs, supply and dispensing of restricted drugs, supply of restricted drugs with wrong containers and labels,” he said.
The arrest comes at a time when there has been an outcry from farmers about the non-performance of some vet drugs on the market as a result of drug resistance to spraying drugs and dewormers.
“NDA has been conducting targeted crackdown on operations on counterfeiting of agrochemicals and early last year, several culprits were arrested making and selling fake Tick Burn and Mutambirente in other cattle corridor districts” Rwamwiri noted.
He urged the public to be vigilant and report all suspicious activities of counterfeiting drugs to authorities.
