Man Arrested in Akwa Ibom with 120 Bottles of Fake Gin

The Akwa Ibom State Police have arrested a 40-year-old man named Ubong Ntiense. He is accused of making and selling fake alcoholic drinks. Police found 120 bottles of suspected fake dry gin in Ikot Ekpene.

Ntiense is from Ibiaku Village in Ibiono Ibom Local Government Area. He lives along Abak Road. Police arrested him around 1:45pm on September 26, 2026. They stopped him during a search operation on Aba Road.

In a statement on Monday, Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Timfon John, said Ntiense was caught while he was transporting the drinks. He was headed to Essien Udim Local Government Area for delivery.

The police searched Ntiense and found five cartons of suspected fake dry gin. The cartons were labeled "Pointers Special Dry Gin." Each carton had 24 bottles, making it 120 bottles in total.

The police took Ntiense and the drinks to the station for a preliminary investigation. During the investigation, he reportedly confessed to producing the fake drinks.

The police then got a search warrant for Ntiense's home and business. They found substances and other materials used for making the drinks.

The statement added, "Based on information obtained during the investigation, police operatives secured and executed a search warrant at the suspect’s residence and premises, where substances and other materials allegedly used in the production of the adulterated drinks were recovered as exhibits."

The Commissioner of Police in the state, CP Baba Mohammed Azare, ordered a thorough and professional investigation. He wants to find others involved in making and selling these fake products.

Azare said producing and selling fake alcoholic drinks is a serious public safety issue. He warned that people could unknowingly drink these products without knowing what they contain.

He urged manufacturers, distributors, and sellers of counterfeit drinks to stop their activities. The police will keep using intelligence and surveillance to stop these actions.

Azare also asked the public to be careful when buying alcoholic drinks. He urged them to report any suspicious activities related to production or distribution to the police or other relevant agencies.