Two individuals, Daniel Opoku Ababio and his wife Dorothy Opoku, have been arrested by the Techiman Divisional Police Command in the Bono East Region for allegedly manufacturing and selling counterfeit hand sanitizers. The pair is set to appear before the Techiman Circuit Court on Friday, March 27, 2020.
The arrests followed a tip-off, leading police officers to the Kumasi-Techiman lorry station on Wednesday, March 25, 2020, where the suspects were apprehended and taken into custody. According to the Crime Officer of the Techiman Police, DSP Kofi Sarkodie, investigations are ongoing.
He explained, “Based on the information we received, a team of officers went to the scene, apprehended the suspect, and brought both him and his wife to the station. We plan to arraign them in court or grant them bail with a reliable surety while investigations continue.”
The surge in demand for hand sanitizers in Ghana has been driven by the COVID-19 outbreak, as health experts urge the public to practice regular handwashing and use alcohol-based sanitizers as part of preventive measures.
However, concerns have been raised over the quality of locally produced sanitizers, as they may not meet the required standards. In response, the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) has authorized certain local manufacturers, including Kasapreko Company Limited, to produce sanitizers. The company has shifted from alcoholic beverage production to making hand sanitizers to meet the increased demand.
