By Spy Uganda
Operatives of the National Drug Authority (NDA) and police have arrested seven people in western Uganda over allegations of selling fake cattle drugs.
Dr Jeanne Muhindo, the head of veterinary at NDA, said Wednesday that the suspects, who were arrested from Mbarara and Bushenyi districts, were found with an assortment of different dangerous chemicals which they had mixed to create a drug named Tick Burn spray.
The operation was carried out in the districts of Kyenjojo, Bushenyi, Mbarara, Kiruhura, Kazo, Ntungamo, Rukungiri and Kampala.
He said the operation, which started on February 7, followed an incident in Kyenjojo District where a farmer applied the Tick Burn spray on his cow and it died.
Dr Muhindo said that “The team confirmed that the product used on the farm (in Kyenjojo) was indeed Tick Burn, which is not registered with NDA and, therefore, hence the need to investigate and trace of the origin of the product.”
Dr Muhindo added that “The suspects mix DD Force, Boom Super, and Ocelamectin, which are pesticides and put a label of Tick Burn Spray before they sell to cattle farmers. The falsified products are not supposed to be applied on soft skin. They are meant for hard surfaces such as wood and fumigation of ants, bed bugs and cockroaches.”
He also revealed that “Once applied on an animal, it can cause death and reduce productivity, especially milk reduction. It can also cause skin allergies to humans and diseases like cancer.”
Dr Muhindo said the products were bought from Container Village in Kampala before they were falsified. The team recovered 127 bottles of Tick Burn in quantities of 1,000ml, 500 ml and 100 ml.
They also recovered 1,600 stickers of Tick Burn Spray; 10 bottles of DD Force in quantities of 1,000ml, 500ml and 100ml; eight empty boxes of Boom Super, 5135 pieces of measuring cups removed from DD Force, 13 bottles of 2-in-1 Ocelamectin, three sacks of offcuts and assorted stickers of counterfeited pesticides.
The NDA regulatory officer, Dr Mathias Lukwago, said their role is to ensure that all Ugandans access safe and effective drugs through control of their manufacture, distribution and sale.
“We are taking the suspects to court and if found guilty, they can be imprisoned for a term not exceeding 10 years or paying a fine not exceeding Shs5m or both,” Dr Lukwago said.
