The Upper West Regional Police Command in collaboration with other state agencies, has arrested five suspected drug peddlers aged between 32 and 70 years at Ponyentaga, in the Wa West District of the Region.
The arrest was made by a joint force of the Police, the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA), Pharmacy Council and Narcotic Control Board.
The move forms part of the security agencies and drug enforcers’ determination to fight against the use of Tramadol and other unregistered drugs and substances sold in the Region, which health officials say posed serious health implications for users.
The police in a press briefing named the suspects as: Abubakari Moomin ,67, Seidu Imoru, 60,Issah Mohammed ,66, Suglo John, 32, and Issahaku Yahaya, 70 years.
They are all in police custody pending further investigations.
Superintendent Alhaji Fuseini Musa Awenaba, Upper West Regional Crime Officer who addressed the Journalists, said the drugs have been handed over to the Pharmacy Council and the FDA for proper classification into registered, banned and those that were supposed to be sold on prescription before the suspects would be charged.
He said those arrested were not “over the counter chemical sellers and also not pharmacists that was why we arrested them”.
“The arrest shows that there are a lot of these drugs in the system," he added.
The Acting Regional Manager of Pharmacy Council, Mr Lateef Agyei-Wiredu, said the arrest indicated the effective level of collaboration between the heads of departments with the Police, FDA & Pharmacy Council.
He added: “the situation is worrying because some drugs which are not allowed to be sold even behind the counter are exhibited within market squares for sale”.
Mr. Albert Ankomah, the Regional Head of Food and Drugs Authority (FDA), said the health implication of medicines such as Tramadol without doctors’ advice or prescription could lead to so many negative effects including brain damage and many more.
He admonished the youth and the public to take keen interest in buying medicines from registered pharmacy shops or licensed chemical sellers shops.
Source: GNA
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