The Magistrate’s Court in Mbale has today sentenced Eunice Lutiro, a resident of Butibwa Village in Namisindwa District, to three years in prison after finding her guilty of selling impure veterinary drugs.
Lutiro was also fined Shs1 million for smuggling unapproved animal medications.
Lutiro, who had been on bail, was arrested by the National Drug Authority (NDA) on 21 October 2021 during a crackdown on illegal veterinary drug distribution.
Authorities recovered 14 boxes of assorted classified veterinary drugs from her, including dewormers, antibiotics, multivitamins, acaricides, and antiparasitic treatments, which she was distributing illegally across Mbale City and Bugiri District.
According to NDA, several of the confiscated products were tested in their pharmaceutical quality control laboratory and found to be counterfeit.
Some had no active ingredients, making them not only ineffective but also a significant health risk to animals and humans.
For instance, a product labelled Swine Cure—marketed as a multivitamin—was found to contain only ash powder, while Actraz, which claimed to have 12.5% amitraz, was discovered to have just 6.5%, rendering it subtherapeutic.
Such adulterated drugs can lead to drug resistance and serious economic loss for farmers.
“This confirms the intelligence NDA has been following. Some farmers are being deceived into thinking that smuggled veterinary drugs from neighbouring countries are more effective," NDA said in a statement.
"In reality, these are locally concocted using agrochemicals and other unsafe substances to mimic foreign products."
The Authority flagged several illegal and dangerous products including Tick-burn, Paranex, Paracide Dudu-acelmecten, Swine Cure, and Kilatix, warning that their continued use threatens livestock productivity and food safety.
Exposed animals, according to NDA, face increased risk of abortions, skin cancers, blindness, repeat breeding, and overall reduced productivity.
Residues from these drugs may also contaminate meat, milk, the environment, and water sources, posing a threat to human and environmental health.
Some of the seized products are cold-chain drugs that require strict temperature control to maintain efficacy.
NDA highlighted one such case involving a counterfeit Foot and Mouth Disease vaccine falsely attributed to the National Veterinary Institute of Ethiopia.
Upon investigation, the Ethiopian government disowned the product.
“Introducing fake vaccines with unverified sources risks bringing non-endemic pathogens into Uganda—foreign strains of disease-causing organisms that could be more lethal and virulent,” NDA warned.
The Authority has urged the public to remain vigilant, use only authorized medical and veterinary products, and report anyone suspected of drug-related crimes to the NDA.