By James Kandoya , The Guardian
THE Tanzania Medicines and Medical Devices Authority (TMDA) has intercepted multiple consignments of unregistered, potentially hazardous pharmaceuticals and specialized medical equipment valued at... 360m/-.
Speaking to reporters in Dar es Salaam, TMDA Director General Dr Adam Fimbo revealed that The illicit items were discovered abandoned at Julius Nyerere International Airport (JNIA) Terminal III in Dar es Salaam following heightened security screenings.
He said the seizures were executed through automated tracking systems and joint inspection procedures operated alongside law enforcement agencies at customs clearance corridors.
The contraband was packed inside 20 large travel bags and brought into the country via commercial flights originating from Asian nations.
According to regulators, the handlers fled the airport baggage area and abandoned the luggage to escape arrest once secondary surveillance teams flagged the shipments for physical inspection.
"Medicines that enter the national supply chain without official registration pose a severe public health hazard because their manufacturing standard, safety profile, storage conditions, and therapeutic effectiveness remain unverified," Dr Fimbo cautioned.
"When drugs bypass established regulatory evaluation, there is no guarantee they contain genuine active ingredients, putting patient lives at extreme risk."
The operational breakdown indicates that the initial shipment intercepted on September 7—was valued at 310m/-.
A second intercepted shipment, discovered on September 9, was valued at 50m/-.
He said the secondary package contained critical clinical injectables, including bupivacaine, lignocaine, adrenaline, and therapeutic vitamin concentrates, alongside specialized dental appliances and prosthetic surgical equipment.
Preliminary laboratory testing by TMDA scientists revealed that several seized products contained potent active pharmaceutical ingredients designated for managing chronic and life-threatening medical conditions, including diabetes, hypertension, epilepsy, and various forms of cancer.
"Unregulated importation of critical specialty medicine is particularly dangerous because dosage discrepancies or chemical impurities in cancer or cardiovascular therapies can lead to sudden treatment failure or fatal organ toxicity," he noted.
He said the five suspects were currently in custody as joint investigative teams track down the wider logistics and distribution network funding the illegal operations.
TMDA boss said the entire batch will be destroyed through industrial incineration after forensic evaluations and legal proceedings, under strict environmental controls to prevent illegal diversion.
Dr Fimbo urged healthcare workers, retail pharmacies, and citizens to remain vigilant and report unverified medical suppliers, emphasizing those pharmaceutical imports must strictly go through authorized importers and verified border control posts.
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