The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has discovered and dismantled a fake alcohol production factory in the Lugbe area of Abuja, the nation’s capital.
The agency which recently intensified its campaign, uncovered large quantities of fake alcoholic beverages and expired ingredients with altered dates at the facility.
NAFDAC’s Director, Federal Task Force, Shaba Mohammed who led the operation disclosed that the enforcement team seized counterfeit alcohol and discovered equipment used to repackage these products in reused bottles. Mohammed said the seized products were assembled in home environments where counterfeiters utilised imitation packaging materials to create fake versions of popular alcoholic beverages. “This operation is part of a broader effort to target hotspots for counterfeit goods.
“Lugbe has become a focal point for producing and distributing these fake alcoholic products, with bottles labelled to mimic popular brands and expiration dates altered to deceive consumers,” Mohammed said. He emphasised that the crackdown marked one of many enforcement actions the agency has planned in Abuja to curb the circulation of substandard alcoholic beverages, especially as the festive season approaches, when demand traditionally increases. NAFDAC has sealed off the facility and launched investigations into those involved.
Deputy Director, of NAFDAC’s Investigation and Enforcement in Kaduna, Tamanuwa Andrew, reported similar discoveries in Wuse Market and Mararaba, a bustling community on the border of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) and Nasarawa State.
“We’ve seen an increase in unregistered herbal remedies and pharmaceutical products alongside counterfeit alcohol,” Andrew said.
He added that NAFDAC’s surveillance is ongoing, “intending to clear these products from the markets and protect public health.”
