NAFDAC UNCOVERS LAGOS RESIDENTIAL BUILDING STOCKPILED WITH EMPTY LIQUOR BOTTLES FOR SUSPECTED COUNTERFEIT DRINKS

The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control has uncovered a residential building in Lagos where empty bottles of various alcoholic beverages were stockpiled for suspected use in producing counterfeit drinks.

The Lagos discovery was made at 322B Meiran Road, Agbado Oke-Odo, following credible intelligence.

THE DISCOVERY

The agency’s Investigation and Enforcement Directorate found more than 100 sacks of empty bottles at the location.

Kunle Ojo, an Assistant Director in the directorate, described the scene in a video released by NAFDAC.

“On arriving, we saw different kinds of bottles stacked in this place. These are bottles covered with tarpaulins,” he said.

He explained that the bottles included different sizes and brands.

“We have bottles of different sizes, 750cl and all the rest. We have Action Bitter, we have different kinds,” Ojo said .

He also identified bottles bearing labels associated with Royal Circle Premium Whiskey.

THE PURPOSE

Ojo was clear about what the bottles were intended for.

“What these people are planning to do, or what they do here, is to supply the bottles to different suspected counterfeiters to be used for another production,” he said .

The bottles were destroyed to prevent their reuse in the production of counterfeit alcoholic beverages .

THE WARNING

Ojo condemned the use of residential buildings for such activities.”This is a residential area, and this is not acceptable to government. We are here to safeguard the health of the nation,” he said .

He urged Nigerians to report suspicious activities in their neighbourhoods to the nearest NAFDAC office.

“We are calling on all women in Nigeria, please, when you see something taking place in your area, kindly notify the nearest NAFDAC office so that we can stop this menace, so that we can save our country from all these counterfeiters,” he added .

WHY IT MATTERS

The discovery exposes a critical link in the counterfeit drinks supply chain: the collection and redistribution of empty branded bottles.

Counterfeiters use these bottles to package illicit alcohol, which is then sold to unsuspecting consumers as genuine products. The health risks are severe, as counterfeit drinks may contain harmful substances such as methanol.

NAFDAC’s raid is a necessary intervention. But the fact that such an operation was being run from a residential building in Lagos suggests that the counterfeit trade is deeply embedded in communities—and that vigilance from ordinary Nigerians is essential to stopping it.

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ValidViewNetwork reports that NAFDAC has destroyed the bottles and is continuing its investigation.