The National Drug Law Enforcement Agency (NAFDAC) has uncovered factories in the popular Cemetery market in Abia State, where fake wines and fizzy drinks are being produced.
The regulatory agency stormed the market on Monday, and discovered shops where products from other brands were being reproduced with fake NAFDAC numbers.
Speaking during the raid, NAFDAC Director, South East zone, Mr Martins Iluyomade, said the agency discovered fake wines and fizzy drinks such as Fanta, Hennessy, Red wine, Coca Cola, etc. in cartons, produced by the criminals and awaiting distribution for purchase by unsuspecting members of the public.
He said: ‘’Every single shop you see here is a factory and everybody is manufacturing products. There are two sets of illegality going on here.
NAFDAC Prof. Moji Adeyeye.
“Some set of people are manufacturing products of other people in large quantity, so much so the other people might not know the difference between their products and the one manufactured here, under a very bad environment, using dangerous chemicals and colorings.
“All they do is just get a rubber, a mixer, a seive and put into bottles for people to drink. My fear is that this is yuletide period, a lot of people have bought drinks in the house, you don’t even know the source of the drinks you have bought. We have had a high level of increase in renal failure, Kidney failure and all of that.”
Also, in a media interactive session on the agency’s 2023 journey on Monday, December 18, NAFDAC Director-General, Prof. Mojisola Adeyeye, said based on an intelligence tip-off, the agency conducted extensive weeks of intelligence gathering and data collation on the activities of these “merchants of death”.
She said: “It is worthy of note that this dastard activity has been going on for a long time and they operate like a cartel threatening anyone who dares challenge them.
“Some of the nefarious activities of the counterfeiters included 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.
“There is also date revalidation for expired products like Peak milk, Powdered milk, Ketchups, Yoghurt, Coca Cola products, packaging of fake and substandard products, which are later sold to unsuspecting members of the public for consumption.
“Because of the extensive operation, the agency raided over 240 shops- turned factories where the harmful products were being produced and marketed.
“The shops-turned factories are very filthy, using water from very unhygienic sources, harmful chemicals, saccharin, coloring, dirty recycled bottles, and cloned packaging materials of other brands
“The adulteration of alcoholic beverages by criminal elements in the country is done by mixing of cheaper sources of sugar and starch besides grapes or fruit, among other harmful chemicals unsuitable for human consumption.
“Over 1500 cartons of the fake and substandard products were destroyed during the operation while 300 hundred cartons were evacuated to NAFDAC warehouse.
“The street value of the confiscated and destroyed fake products is estimated at over N750 million.
“Ten people were arrested on arrival at the scene of the crime and will be charged to court after thorough investigation.”
