Lagos: NAFDAC raids fake alcohol factory, arrests 2 suspects

The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has raided an alleged counterfeit alcohol factory in Lagos, arresting two suspects and recovering equipment used to produce and package fake alcoholic drinks.

The raid, conducted on Tuesday in Lagos at a two-storey building in Zamfara Plaza, Trade Fair International Market, along the Badagry Expressway, Ojo, uncovered several mini-factories operating under poor environmental conditions, raising concerns over the safety of products intended for consumers.

The agency’s Investigation and Enforcement Directorate carried out the operation following intelligence reports and surveillance of individuals allegedly involved in counterfeiting premium alcoholic drink brands.

Recovered items included drums, filters, burners, packaging materials and imported bottle caps used in producing and packaging the counterfeit drinks, while other suspects reportedly fled the scene.

The Assistant Director of the directorate, Kunle Ojo, described the discovery as alarming, saying officers caught some suspects producing counterfeit alcoholic drinks.

He said the operation was part of efforts to protect Nigerians from potentially harmful products, particularly ahead of the festive season, when alcohol consumption typically rises.

Ojo said the arrested suspects would be investigated to trace the sources of the products and raw materials and identify others behind the illegal operation.

He warned that counterfeit and substandard alcoholic drinks could cause serious health complications, insisting that the agency would not tolerate product counterfeiting.

“Making money by producing harmful products puts the lives of Nigerians at risk,” he said, urging those involved to stop the practice and members of the public to report suspicious activities to the nearest NAFDAC office.

Ojo added that the seized products, materials and equipment would be evacuated to the agency’s warehouse for destruction, while the suspects would face administrative action and prosecution in accordance with the law.

Another assistant director in the directorate, Victoria Jennifer Akudu, said the media would be invited to witness the destruction of the recovered items to ensure transparency and prevent the products from returning to circulation.

The Deputy Director of Public Relations at NAFDAC, Christiana Obiazikwor, said the agency conducted enforcement operations daily, many of which were not publicised because officers worked discreetly to avoid alerting suspects.

She explained that those behind the operation allegedly transferred drinks into other bottles under the pretext that some original bottles had been damaged.

According to her, the suspects had moved their activities to another location following an earlier enforcement operation but were apprehended after officers gained access to the premises through the back entrance.

Obiazikwor urged Nigerians to report suspected counterfeit products to NAFDAC rather than circulate unverified claims on social media, saying credible information from the public would help the agency identify offenders and protect consumers.

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