KAMPALA: The National Drug Authority (NDA) on Wednesday, November 3, 2021, arrested two people on allegations of smuggling drugs from Kenya, changing their labels and selling them in Uganda.
According to NDA, Olyeba Richard, who has been operating MHK Veterinary Drug Shop in Mbale Bus Park, has been working with several others, including Lutiro Eunice, a resident of Butimbwa village, Namisindwa district.
Some of the smuggled and relabelled drugs include ACATRAZ 12.5 EC (purportedly an acaracide), Dabendazole (a dewormer), Estroplan (a hormonal product, for inducing oestrus cycle) and Alamycin aerosol (a wound spray).
According to NDA’s Olyeba’s arrest helped them to crackdown into his network of counterfeiters and smugglers that led to the arrest of Lutiro.
“Lutiro has been one of the key suppliers in the Eastern Region of smuggled and relabelled veterinary drugs and with the help of police CID, a search was conducted at her home, key evidence was recovered including stockpiles of Norotraz package inserts and empty containers for DUDU ACELEMECTIN,” NDA said in a statement.
“She also admitted to smuggling, rebranding vet drugs and supplying them to different outlets in Mbale area,” the statement added,
Olyeba and Lutiro are now being held at Mbale Central Police Station on counts of possession of impure drugs, importation without authorisation and vicarious liability as per National Drug Policy and Authority Act Cap 206 Laws of Uganda.
This arrest comes at a time when there has been an outcry from farmers about non-performance of some of the veterinary products on the market.