THE National Agency For Food And Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has uncovered illegal activities involving the production and distribution of various brands of alcoholic beverages at the Trade Fair Complex in Lagos State.
NAFDAC, in a statement on Thursday, March 22, said its Investigation and Enforcement Directorate discovered the facilities operating within shop 34, shop 17/24, and attachment 17/2 in the Niger 4 Plaza of the complex while acting on credible intelligence.
The statement added that the team found mini plastic mixing tanks, improvised filters, cartons of empty bottles with intact labels, corks, packaging materials, and assorted drinks that had already been produced and packaged during the operation.
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It noted that over 3,452 cartons of empty and filled bottles, valued at over N250 million, had been seized and evacuated from the location.
The NAFDAC, however, called on the public to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activities to the nearest NAFDAC office.
Similarly, the Lagos State Police Command announced that its operatives had busted a fake drink factory in the Agege area of the state and arrested four suspects connected to the illegal factory on the same day.
The command’s public relations officer, Benjamin Hundeyin, revealed this in a brief message on his X page on Thursday.
The police also said it initiated an investigation into the suspects’ alleged production and distribution of counterfeit drinks following credible information.
According to Hundeyin, during the raid, four suspects believed to be the masterminds behind the illegal distillery were apprehended, and their products were seized, among other items.
“Officers of Isokoko Division, acting on credible information, raided a house in Agege where fake alcoholic drinks were being produced. The police arrested four people behind the illegal distillery and recovered fake drinks, empty bottles and labels of different brands. Investigation is ongoing,” Hundeyin said.
Usman Mustapha is a solution journalist with International Centre for Investigative Reporting. You can easily reach him via: [email protected]. He tweets @UsmanMustapha_M