Seven (7) women have been arrested in koforidua during a joint operation by Police and Food and Drugs Authority(FDA) over suspected adulteration of palm oil with cacinogenic Sudan IV dye substance.
The operation follows an earlier assurance by the FDA to clamp down on the practice after laboratory tests conducted last year confirmed that some palm oil samples collected from markets in Koforidua were contaminated with Sudan dye during routine product quality monitoring and compliance exercises.
According to FDA ,five initial suspects were earlier picked up but denied knowledge of the substance, claiming they were only retailers who sourced their products from suppliers, particularly from Akyem Maase.
Following intelligence gathered, a manhunt was launched to track down the alleged suppliers.
Police say the latest arrests were made when the suspects arrived in Koforidua to supply palm oil to the market.
The seven women were identified as being on a watchlist compiled by the FDA and police, with two of them linked to products that tested positive for Sudan dye last year.
The police have since impounded the suspected products, while the FDA has taken samples for further laboratory analysis.
The suspects are currently assisting with investigations.
Speaking to the media, the District Crime Officer for the Koforidua Central Police Command, A.S.P. Augustine K. Asante Kusi, described the act as a serious criminal offence, warning traders against engaging in the adulteration of food products with unauthorised chemicals.
He added that the suspects remain in police custody as investigations continue.
The Eastern Regional Director of the FDA, Anita Kuffour, assured the public that the Authority is committed to pursuing the case to its logical conclusion, particularly by uncovering the full supply chain behind the adulterated products.
She further stressed that the FDA will intensify its monitoring and enforcement efforts to deal with recalcitrant traders who compromise public health for profit.
Source:Mybrytfmonline.com
