The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has arrested a suspected producer of counterfeit alcoholic drinks during an enforcement operation in Benin City, Edo State.
The suspect, Daniel Okafor, was apprehended at a facility on Ewah Road, off Ikpoba Slope, where officials allegedly discovered the production of different alcoholic beverage brands. NAFDAC said the operation followed more than a month of intelligence gathering and surveillance after receiving information that activities had resumed at the location.
The team recovered suspected counterfeit products, including Lord’s Dry Gin and Majestic Schnapps, along with packaging materials, labels and about 12 litres of ethanol whose quality is yet to be verified. According to NAFDAC, the suspect admitted producing three drink brands without registration or a licensed company and said the labels were sourced from Aba.
The suspect also reportedly told investigators that the products had been distributed to locations in Onitsha through waybill services. He has since been handed over to NAFDAC’s Investigation and Enforcement Directorate in Asaba for further investigation, as the agency reaffirmed its commitment to tackling counterfeit and unsafe products.
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