The Lagos Police Command has confirmed the arrest of two men who are into the production of fake drinks in the Ojo area of the state.
The Lagos State Police spokesperson, SP Benjamin Hundeyin, confirmed this in a post on X on Wednesday night even as the investigation is ongoing.
“Officers of Ojo Division today arrested the duo of Imo Lawrence ‘m’ aged 35 and Magnus Nwonka ‘m’ aged 42 in possession of fake drinks,” Hundeyin said.
“In the course of investigation, the suspects led detectives to their inconspicuous, multi-room ‘factory.’ Investigation is ongoing.”
Meanwhile, the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) this week said it has destroyed 135 truckloads of counterfeit and expired products valued at about N16 billion.
Its Inspection and Enforcement Directorate also carried out raids in the southeast and south south, across nine states, during which counterfeit Diageo products worth over N38 million were recovered.
Director General, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, who disclosed this during a media parley, said the directorate has been busy with joint inspections, seizures and destruction of banned or unregistered products.
She said in Lagos State and Abuja, several places were raided and counterfeited products worth over N200 million were seized.
NAFDAC also shut down the Eziukwu Market (Cemetery Market) Aba, Abia State and confiscated and destroyed a variety of fake beverages including wines, soft drinks and consumables produced in the market estimated at over N750 million.
According to a statement from NAFDAC, ten people were arrested on arrival at the scene of the crime and will be charged in court after a thorough investigation.
Speaking during an interactive session with journalists, Adeyeye said that the agency intercepted counterfeiters involved in the production of a variety of beverages including wines, soft drinks, and consumables in the Market.
She explained that following an intelligent tip-off, NAFDAC carried out several weeks of intelligence gathering and collation of data on the activities in collaboration with other security agencies.
The NAFDAC boss said the agency carried out a sting operation in the market to burst the criminal operations taking place there.
Adeyeye said this dastard activity has been going on for a long time and they operate like a cartel while they even threaten anyone who dares challenge them.
She added that some of the nefarious activities of the counterfeiters include the manufacturing of all kinds of adulterated products especially different kinds of wine from a wide variety of brands ranging from Seaman Schnapps, Henessy, Four Cousins, Carlo Rossi, Jenney, Chelsea London Dry Gin, Schnapp Dry Gin, McDowells, Black Labels, Gordons, Martell, Campari, Smirnoff ice, Eva Non-Alcoholic Drink, Evra Non-Alcoholic Drink, Cartel and others.
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