NAFDAC seizes N350m fake alcohol, shuts illegal factories In Lagos

The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control has dismantled two illegal production outlets and seized counterfeit and adulterated alcoholic beverages valued at approximately N350 million in Lagos State.

The agency said in a statement on Wednesday that the operation followed credible intelligence, leading to raids at Zamfara Plaza, the Trade Fair Complex, and Lagos Island.

Enforcement operatives recovered over 1,800 cartons of counterfeit and adulterated alcoholic products during the exercise.

At the Trade Fair Complex, officers discovered makeshift production facilities equipped with plastic mixing tanks, improvised filtration systems, empty branded bottles, corks, and packaging materials used to produce and package fake alcoholic drinks.

A separate operation on Lagos Island led to the arrest of a suspect linked to the illegal production and distribution of counterfeit beverages through a retail outlet.

All recovered items were seized and evacuated for further regulatory action.

NAFDAC warned that the consumption of adulterated alcoholic beverages poses serious health risks, including poisoning, organ damage, and death, and reaffirmed its commitment to prosecuting offenders.

The agency urged the public to purchase products only from authorised outlets and to report suspicious activities to the nearest NAFDAC office or via its toll-free line, 0800-1-NAFDAC.

The operation comes amid broader concerns over the illicit alcohol trade in Nigeria.

The Spirits and Wines Association of Nigeria had previously warned that the scale of the illicit trade poses serious risks to public health, government revenue, and legitimate businesses, with stakeholders at a recent Abuja workshop calling for sustained collaboration, improved regulation, and increased public awareness to address the challenge.