NAFDAC busts illegal alcohol factory in Abuja, seizes expired goods

The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has raided an illegal alcoholic drink factory in the Lugbe area of Abuja.

The operation led to the confiscation of adulterated alcoholic beverages and the discovery of expired salt with altered expiry dates at the illegal factory on Wednesday, November 13, 2024.

During the enforcement operation, NAFDAC intensified efforts to curb the circulation of substandard goods, counterfeits, and rebranded products.

The Director of Investigation and Enforcement for NAFDAC’s Federal Task Force, Shaba Mohammed, told newsmen that Lugbe has become a hub for producing and distributing substandard alcoholic beverages.

Mohammed said imitation brands in the area now carry fake labels of popular alcoholic brands.

Mohammed stated that the team found premises where counterfeit alcohol was being repackaged in used bottles with fake labels and altered expiration dates.

He said: “This is one of many recent operations in the FCT, the counterfeit products were manufactured in a residential apartment, using fake packaging materials, often over weekends.

“NAFDAC has sealed the facility and summoned those responsible for further investigation.

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“We will remove the counterfeit products from the production site, and our Post-Marketing Surveillance Directorate will sweep the market to clear out any remaining items.”

The Deputy Director of Investigation and Enforcement for NAFDAC in Kaduna State, Tamanuwa Andrew, reported similar findings in Wuse Market and Mararaba, a community bordering Abuja and Nasarawa State.

Andrew noted an increase in unregistered herbal remedies and pharmaceutical products, saying NAFDAC would intensify surveillance to protect public health.

He said: “As the festive season approaches, counterfeiters often exploit the increased demand to distribute harmful products, we are ramping up enforcement actions to prevent these activities.

“We advise consumers to carefully check product labels before purchase, authentic products display a valid manufacturer’s address and clear labelling, unlike counterfeits that often use recycled bottles with incomplete or mismatched information.”

The NAFDAC official added that penalties for those involved in producing counterfeit goods would be determined following further investigations.

The Star