NAFDAC Closes Lebanese Firm for Selling Unregistered Products

The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has sealed a warehouse in Lagos belonging to a Lebanese firm, H and H Integrated Nigeria Limited, for illegal importation, distribution and sale of unregistered products as well as non adherence to hygienic practices.

This is coming just a month after the agency shut down the premises of Lagos–based confectionaries and multinational food outlet, Chocolate Royale, over what was described as “unethical practices” and non-adherent to good manufacturing and hygienic practices.

The H and H warehouse, located at the Eric Moore area of Lagos was sealed, following a tip-off, which revealed that the company was involved in the importation and storage of illegal food products, particularly biscuits and cookies commonly consumed by children.

Apart from not adhering to standard hygienic practices, NAFDAC also alleged that most of the company’s products were stored in an unhygienic environment. It said out of the 50 different brands of products found in the warehouse, only one was registered with the agency. The 49 other unregistered ones which are largely biscuits, candies and bubble gums products for children include, Mr. Magic soft candy, cracker soda biscuit, milk chocolate wafer roll, non–dairy creamer, H and H fruit juice, sprite candy, among others, a statement by NAFDAC Public Relations Officer (Enforcement Operations), Mr. Anslem Okonkwor, said.

The statement also quoted the leader of the NAFDAC team, Mr.Babatunji Omoyeni, Chief Regulatory Officer, Investigation and Enforcement, as saying that the warehouse was storing products in an unkempt manner, adding that estimated 1.5 million cartoons of various unregistered products running into millions of naira were uncovered.

H and H’s managing director had since been arrested and different samples of the 49 unregistered products taken for laboratory analysis.