The Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) has confiscated a significant quantity of unregistered and illicit tobacco products during a targeted enforcement operation across four facilities in Accra.
The seized items include 15 brands of illegal shisha flavors, three brands of illicit cigarettes, seven brands of nitrous oxide canisters, 21 brands of unregistered vapes, 10 brands of illegal cigars, and four brands of unauthorized tobacco wraps.
The operation was conducted in collaboration with law enforcement officers as part of activities marking World No Tobacco Day on May 31.
The enforcement exercise spanned six locations, Kwabenya, East Legon, Abeka, Fadama, Tabora, and Achimota, though two of the targeted facilities were closed at the time of inspection.
Jemima Odonkor, Head of the Tobacco Products Department at the FDA, reaffirmed the Authority’s commitment to combating the circulation of harmful and unapproved tobacco products.
“The seized items entered the country through unapproved routes. The Authority will apply the necessary legal and regulatory sanctions to the distributors and sellers”.
As part of its broader anti-tobacco initiatives, the FDA has pledged to intensify public education efforts, particularly targeting schools, to raise awareness about the dangers of tobacco consumption.
“We will be visiting schools to educate our students on the harmful effects of tobacco products to safeguard them from illicit drugs”.
The FDA continues to urge the public to remain vigilant and report any suspicious tobacco-related activities as efforts to rid the market of illicit products intensify.
