Ashanti Regional police arrest suspects for selling counterfeit ‘Kill-It’ insecticide, distributor raises health concerns:

The Ashanti Regional Police Command has arrested two individuals, Charity and Jacob Abeka, for allegedly selling counterfeit ‘Kill-It’ insecticide mosquito spray, a product exclusively imported and distributed by MISWA Chemicals Ltd.

The operation followed a complaint by MISWA Chemicals regarding the proliferation of fake products that closely resemble the authentic insecticide.

According to Ashanti Regional Police PRO, DSP Godwin Ahianyo, the suspects were apprehended in a coordinated operation involving police personnel and staff from the aforementioned company. Charity was arrested at a shop known as “Mo Akoto” in the PZ area, while Jacob Abeka was taken into custody at Jacob Abeka Enterprise. A third individual was reportedly picked up near the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST). Authorities also seized approximately 35 boxes of the suspected counterfeit insecticide.

DSP Ahianyo outlined the potential charges against the suspects, which include, prohibited sale of drugs or herb biomedicine products, cosmetic media devices or any other household chemicals contrary to section 111 subsection C of Public Health Act 851, 2012; false or misleading labeling/packaging of a drug and bar product, medicine, cosmetic, medical device, or household chemical (contrary to section 113 of the Public Health Act 851 of 2012); forging a trademark (contrary to section 161 of the Criminal Offences Act); and defrauding by false pretenses (contrary to section 131 of the Criminal Offences Act). If convicted, the suspects could face imprisonment terms ranging from three to ten years, or fines.

At a press briefing following the arrests, Mrs. Abigail Del, CEO of MISWA Chemicals Ltd., expressed deep concern about the impact of the counterfeit products. Mrs. Del stated that the company has been the sole importer and distributor of the authentic ‘Kill- It’ insecticide for over 30 years, and that the fake products have significantly impacted their sales. Some of those arrested were even former customers of MISWA Chemicals, she noted.

“The fake products causes more harm and it’s not good,” Mrs. Del warned. “Our own is from Britain, Northampton, and there are good directors over there. It’s a big factory, very big and they are working, everything is perfect. Then these people, they started bringing the fake, so the effect is, it damages the system and spoils our market”, she observed.

Mrs. Del explained that the counterfeit products are ineffective against mosquitoes and may even be harmful to consumers. “When you use it, it does not work. It cannot even kill an ant, talkless of killing an insecticide”, she said.

She added that her company has submitted samples of the fake products to the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) for analysis. She urged consumers to be vigilant and to ensure they are purchasing genuine ‘Kill-It’ insecticide spray to protect themselves from ineffective and potentially dangerous products.

Meanwhile, the police assured that investigation is ongoing.