The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) announced on Friday that it has apprehended a syndicate involved in the illegal importation of banned crusader soaps containing mercury into Nigeria.
Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, the Director-General of NAFDAC, who revealed this information to newsmen in Lagos said the syndicate used counterfeit customs documents to bring this product into the country.
According to Adeyeye, NAFDAC had banned the importation of this soap due to its mercury content.
She stated that the investigations by NAFDAC’s Investigation and Enforcement (I&E) Directorate uncovered the syndicate’s activities, adding that they imported the banned crusader soap seven times in 2021 alone, with each shipment comprising at least three containers containing 4,500 cartons of soap.
She said “These products made their way into various supermarkets and cosmetic shops, deceiving unsuspecting customers.
“Acting on intelligence, NAFDAC’s investigation and enforcement team busted a warehouse in Trade Fair Market in August 2023, where they found three trailer-loads of imported crusader medicated soap and mekako soap, totaling 4,000 cartons.
“Some suspects were arrested in connection with the case, and the estimated street value of the confiscated products is approximately one billion Naira.
“The successful raid on the warehouse followed three failed attempts, as the syndicate continuously relocated the soap consignments to different locations in Lagos to avoid detection.
“One of the prime suspects, Chief Peter Obih, claimed during interrogation that he had acquired the product’s franchise from a company and presented an expired NAFDAC certificate issued for local production after the product’s ban in Nigeria.”
Mrs Adeyeye noted that not one bar of the soap had been manufactured in Nigeria since the purported registration in 2013.
She added that laboratory analysis had revealed that the soap contained heavy metals identified as mercury. Although falsely labeled as “Made in England,” the actual source of the soap is India, constituting a violation of NAFDAC regulations, including the Cosmetic Products (Prohibition of Bleaching Agents) Regulations 2019.
She further emphasized that the presence of mercury in cosmetics raises global concerns due to the established health hazards it poses to both human health and the environment. The arrested suspects will face legal charges, and efforts are underway to apprehend other syndicate members who are on the run.
The Director-General urged Nigerians not to purchase imported soaps, detergents, or cosmetics containing mercury and encouraged them to report any violations to the nearest NAFDAC office.
