The Pharmacy Council of Nigeria (PCN) has shut down 405 medicine stores and arrested five illegal medicine dealers in Cross River State.

PCN Director of Enforcement, Steven Esumobi disclosed this to some Newsmen yesterday at their office in the Federal Secretariat, Cross River State, Calabar.

He said the raid and arrest were made as a result of information reaching the agency that a large number of pharmaceutical premises in the state especially in Calabar metropolis are not registered with PCN.

Esumobi explained that at the end of the inspection carried out during the week by inspectors from the national enforcement team, out of 500 premises visited, 405 were sealed for various offences while five illegal medicine dealers were also arrested.

“We discovered that the five illegal medicine dealers were operating from the same network, we sealed the place, the next day she (name withheld) went and broke the seal and we went back again and sealed the place, arrested her,” Esumobi said.

“As we speak, she is in police detection but her agents still went and broke the seal for the third time, that is why we said she must be prosecuted.

“We have different teams working simultaneously in different locations. We also have another team in Ikom and Obubra local government areas of the state. We also have another team worked in Ugep, Yakurr LGA and surrounding villages.”

While frowning at the illegal medicine activities in the state, The PCN Director of Enforcement stressed that inadequate handling of pharmaceutical products is a major factor contributing to poor quality of medicines in pharmaceutical distribution chains.

“Many of the defaulters have large stock of prescription medicines and substances of abuse which they sell to the public without the supervision of pharmacists,” Esumobi said.

“The storage conditions in most of these premises are very poor and there is a very high possibility that many of the products are degraded due to exposure to harsh environmental factors like high temperature, humidity, and direct sunlight.”

He stated that in line with the Pharmacy Council of Nigeria Establishment Act 2022, the agency has taken steps to ensure that medicines sold on premises across the country remain safe, effective, and of good quality.