Nigeria bans green tea imported from China – and slams fake drugs

LAGOS – The Nigerian state-run food and drug control agency (NAFDAC) yesterday warned the public against the consumption of recently imported tea sold under the China Green Tea brand, saying it was “heavily contaminated.”

The “China Green Tea is unfit for human consumption because of heavy contamination”, NAFDAC said in an official statement. According to NAFDAC, the tea contained “Escherichia coli and coliform bacteria”, which can cause intestinal illness, along with mould and other bacteria.The allegedly contaminated tea was imported by BN Nexus Ltd in Maiduguri, capital of northeast Borno State, and supplied by Rui Xiang International Trade Co Ltd, Ningbo Free Zone, China.NAFDAC said that the tea has neither production nor expiry date and advised members of the public to return it for destruction.It warned that shops and supermarkets that continue to sell the product would be severely punished.Last year, the Nigerian government stepped up its fight agaisnt fake and adulterated drugs, announcing that all drugs imported from China would be subject to pre-shipment inspection and analysis.In December, NAFDAC blacklisted 19 Indian and Chinese companies, saying they had been “confirmed to be counterfeit drug producers.”- Nampa-AFPAccording to NAFDAC, the tea contained “Escherichia coli and coliform bacteria”, which can cause intestinal illness, along with mould and other bacteria.The allegedly contaminated tea was imported by BN Nexus Ltd in Maiduguri, capital of northeast Borno State, and supplied by Rui Xiang International Trade Co Ltd, Ningbo Free Zone, China.NAFDAC said that the tea has neither production nor expiry date and advised members of the public to return it for destruction.It warned that shops and supermarkets that continue to sell the product would be severely punished.Last year, the Nigerian government stepped up its fight agaisnt fake and adulterated drugs, announcing that all drugs imported from China would be subject to pre-shipment inspection and analysis.In December, NAFDAC blacklisted 19 Indian and Chinese companies, saying they had been “confirmed to be counterfeit drug producers.”- Nampa-AFP