The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control, NAFDAC, has uncovered more than 100 sacks of empty alcoholic beverage bottles stored at a residential property in Lagos, raising suspicions that they are being collected for the production of counterfeit drinks.
The bottles were found at a building located at 322B Meiran Road, Agbado Oke-Odo during an enforcement operation conducted by the agency’s Investigation and Enforcement Directorate.
NAFDAC said the recovered bottles were destroyed to prevent their possible reuse in the packaging of fake alcoholic beverages.
An Assistant Director in the directorate, Kunle Ojo, disclosed the development in a video released by the agency on Friday, explaining that the operation followed intelligence received about activities at the property.
According to Ojo, the building was situated in an isolated residential neighbourhood, where various materials, including empty alcoholic beverage bottles covered with tarpaulins, had been stored.
The bottles were of different sizes, with some bearing labels associated with alcoholic beverage brands such as Action Bitter and Royal Circle Premium Whiskey.
Ojo said investigators suspected that the bottles were being gathered for supply to individuals involved in the manufacture of counterfeit alcoholic drinks.
He explained that the suspected practice involved collecting and distributing empty branded containers to counterfeiters, who could refill them with other products and sell them as genuine alcoholic beverages.
The discovery has renewed concerns about the health dangers posed by counterfeit alcohol, particularly when fake products are packaged in containers carrying the labels of recognised brands. Such packaging can make it difficult for consumers to identify imitation products and distinguish them from genuine drinks.
NAFDAC condemned the alleged use of a residential building for the suspected operation, stating that the enforcement exercise formed part of its efforts to safeguard public health and combat the manufacture and distribution of counterfeit products.
The agency urged members of the public to report suspicious activities in their neighbourhoods to the nearest NAFDAC office, stressing that information provided by residents could assist enforcement officials in identifying and dismantling suspected counterfeiting operations.
NAFDAC discovers suspected counterfeit alcohol bottle store in Lagos