Accra, Sept. 8, GNA - The Food and Drugs Board (FDB) on Wednesday arrested six traders who deal in illegal drugs and aphrodisiacs at the Kaneshie Market and Nkrumah Circle in Accra and seized their products.

The FDB seized small quantities of the drugs, including antibiotics, love potions and assorted sex enhancement drugs mostly sold under the guise of herbal preparations.

Officials of the FDB traced the hideouts and escape routes of the traders and arrested some of them.

According to Mr James Lartey, Head of Public Affairs of FDB, going back to the areas where the drugs were sold was to ensure that the operation by FDB to flush them out was being sustained.

He told newsmen in Accra that the exercise had become necessary due to an increase in the illegal activities of traders, adding that most of the drugs tested in laboratories revealed that they had dangerous chemicals harmful to users.

Mr Lartey said drugs sold in the country should be registered with FDB to ensure quality, safety and efficacy, adding that "the rate at which these drugs have been coming into the country through the eastern borders is worrying."

Section 18 of the Food and Drugs Law states: "No person shall manufacture, prepare, sell, supply, export or import into Ghana any drug, cosmetic, medical device or household chemical, unless the article has been registered with the Food and Drugs Board."

He said registration of drugs enabled FDB to ascertain their chemical content to ensure that the drugs were safe for public use.

"Drugs should be sold under a certain temperature and selling them on the open market can affect their potency even if their efficacy is standard," Mr Lartey said.

He assured the public of the FDB's readiness to protect public health and safety at all times and appealed to the public to desist from buying drugs which had no English labelling.

The FDB urged the public to report persons suspected to be in any practice that could endanger public health and safety through the following telephone numbers: 0244337235, 0262689296 or 0244385086.