www.odogwublog.com reports that the
National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has
uncovered illegal wine and beverage manufacturing factories within the Relief
Market, Onitsha, Anambra and arrested nine suspects.
This
followed a special raid and enforcement operation of the Federal Government’s ban
on imported fruit juices on Wednesday in Onitsha.
NAFDAC’s
Head, Investigation and Enforcement, Mr Kingsley Ejiofor explained after the exercises
that those arrested were involved in the bottling of the unwholesome,
counterfeit and dangerous drinks.
“We
came here for a special assignment to mop up all counterfeit prohibited
products which include imported fruit juices, food, drugs, medical devices,
cosmetics, detergent and bottled water, among others.
“We
were able to uncover a place where illegal manufacturers bottle unwholesome and
dangerous chemicals they call wine and spirits. It was so disheartening,” he
said.
Ejiofor
said popular brands like Hennessey, 501, Johnny Walker, Red Label whisky, Best
Marula fruit cream, pure heaven, Amarula, Baron De Vals, Eva and J&W, among
others were been faked.
He
said in the unhygienic factories were cockroaches and equipment such as stoves,
colourants, plastic containers, cups, labels, corks, unidentified chemicals and
recycled bottles as well as assorted labels.
“In
one of the shops, the smell was so pungent that we could not even recover the
materials and had to destroy them right there.
“This
is why we find the incidences of cancer to be high in this country because we don’t
know what we drink.
“I
will like to use this medium to tell people to destroy the cups, plastics or
bottles after use because not doing so encourages these illegal producers,”
Ejiofor advised.
He
further advised retailers and consumers to issue and collect receipts for every
product purchased to ensure tradability and tracking.
He
said the arrested suspects; five males and four females, would be interrogated
and prosecuted while the recovered items, especially the chemicals will be
taken to NAFDAC laboratory for analysis.
Ejiofor,
while urging members of the public to come forth with information on such
nefarious activities, assured them that credible information provided to the agency
will not be divulged.
Dr
Christiana Esenwah, a Deputy Director of NAFDAC, added that the exercise was in
continuation of an earlier raid in December 2015 to mop up all imported fruit
drinks.
Esenwah
noted that besides the imported fruit drinks, the NAFDAC team also confiscated diverted
United Nation condoms, injectables and prescription drugs.
She
said: “We saw illegal tramadol (200mg) and all sorts of aphrodisiacs that are
very enunciating and obscene with some terrible labels.
“Some
registered products which the illegal manufacturers changed the label were also
recovered.
“This
is a call for traders and the totality of the citizens of this country to be
vigilant.
“It
is heartbreaking to know that such illicit business was going on there and
people are just going about their businesses.
“People
should know the type of job they are been offered and what their neighbours are
doing for a living. We say in NAFDAC, Shine your eye”.
NAFDAC uncovers illegal wine factories in Onitsha, arrests 9 suspects
Reviewed by Unknown
on
Wednesday, January 11, 2017
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