The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has uncovered a counterfeit alcohol production site on Offin Road, Balogun, Lagos Island, following a public complaint.
The site, a shop converted into a fake alcohol manufacturing hub, was raided on Monday.
Assorted counterfeit beverages were destroyed on-site, while packaging materials, empty bottles, and repackaged drinks were seized.
NAFDAC revealed in a statement shared via its official X handle, that the estimated value of the destroyed and confiscated items exceeds N30 million.
The agency announced that it has initiated further investigations and advised consumers to purchase alcoholic beverages only from reputable vendors.
It also urged the public to report suspicious products or activities to the nearest NAFDAC office.
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Nairametrics recently reported that NAFDAC dismantled illegal alcohol packaging operations at Article Market in Abule-Osun, Lagos State.
- During the raid, over 50,000 counterfeit branded labels and packaging materials for fake alcoholic beverages, valued at approximately N2 billion, were confiscated.”
- Also, the agency has also shut down another counterfeit alcoholic factory in Abuja and Kaduna.
- While intensifying its campaign against counterfeit alcohol, NAFDAC dismantled an illicit production operation in Lugbe, Abuja about a few weeks ago.
- The raid uncovered large quantities of fake alcoholic beverages and expired ingredients with altered dates, underscoring NAFDAC commitments to clamping down on dangerous, substandard goods.
- In the operation led by Shaba Mohammed, director, of NAFDAC’s Federal Task Force and its enforcement teams, the agency seized the counterfeit alcoholic beverages and equipment used in repackaging these products in reused bottles.
“This operation is part of a broader effort to target hotspots for counterfeit goods,” said Mohammed. “Lugbe has become a focal point for producing and distributing these fake alcoholic products, with bottles labelled to mimic popular brands and expiration dates altered to deceive consumers.
The confiscated products have been packed in residential settings, where counterfeiters relied on imitation packaging materials to produce fraudulent versions of popular alcoholic drinks. Tamanuwa Andrew, deputy director of investigation and enforcement for NAFDAC in Kaduna, reported similar findings in Wuse Market and Mararaba, a community bordering the FCT and Nasarawa.
“We’ve seen an increase in unregistered herbal remedies and pharmaceutical products alongside counterfeit alcohol,” said Andrew.” Our surveillance is ongoing, with the aim of clearing these products from the markets and protecting public health ”