NAFDAC confiscates alcoholic drinks worth N200m in Onitsha

*Uncovers apartment used for production of fake bitters

Angela Onwuzoo

Following intelligence reports, the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), said it had uncovered several shops used for the production, distribution, sale, and storage of fake and counterfeit alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks of popular brands at Ogbaru Relief Market, Onitsha, Anambra State worth over N200 million.

Acting Director General of NAFDAC, Mrs. Yetunde Oni, disclosed this in Lagos on Thursday while briefing journalists on the recent activities of the agency particularly the seizures of fake drugs and unwholesome products.

Oni, who was represented by the agency’s Director of Enforcement, Mr. Kingsley Ejiofor, said the drinks were not only manually produced by mixing them in plastic buckets, but were filled into bottles under very unhygienic conditions within the market premises.

Her words: “Some of the counterfeited popular brands include; Moet and Chandon Wine, St. Remy Brandy,501 Brandy, Red Label(Johnny Walker) Whisky ,Baron De Vals Wine, Eagle Schnapps Dry Gin, McDowell Whisky, Jalon Cognac Wine and Pure Heaven Sparkling Drinks.

“The agency also discovered a container load of fake holograms, labels and packaging materials of the counterfeited brands”.

According to Oni, six suspects including a nursing mother were arrested and interrogated during the raid while investigation is ongoing as the consumption of these counterfeit drinks, may lead to liver Cirrhosis kidney failures and cancers.

Oni also revealed that the agency through a whistle blower’s reports discovered a building at No. 11 Omotosho Crescent, Off Ewedana Street, and Toll gate, Ota in Ogun State used for illegal production of herbal bitters with fake NAFDAC registration numbers.

She noted that the building used for the illegal business was a brickwall fenced bungalow of five bedroom apartment, with two residential rooms, while the other three, the parlour and the kitchen were used for production of unregistered, deceptive and counterfeit products, including, Merry Jedi Plus, Bitter Cleanser and Rock Well Herbal Bitter.

The NAFDAC boss, who gave the names of the owners of the products as Mr. Innocent Merry Iloabuchi and Mr. Chukwudi Ogbuta respectively, explained that the products were being produced in a dirty environment by unqualified personnel and under poor Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP).

According to her, empty plastic bottlers, caps, cartons and sticker labels of another product, stone cream liqueur were also found in the facility, while the address on the labels of all the products were fake.

Listing other fake pharmaceutical products seized by the agency in the past few weeks, the NAFDAC boss said: “It is pertinent to note that foreign juices are on the Federal Government Import Prohibition list. The Public is hereby advised that expired or banned items should not be imported into the country, whether as donated items or not.”

“We have noticed that Faith based and Charitable Organisations are victims of unscrupulous foreign donors. Nigeria is not a dumping ground for expired, about to expire or banned products”, she noted.

Additionally, Oni reiterated NADFAC’s commitment to ensuring that only safe medicines and wholesome food products of the right quality are sold to all consumers.