The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control has found a suspected fake alcohol production facility worth over N500 million in Aba, Abia State.
The agency said the factory is located at No. 25 Omenazu Street. Officials discovered the place was very dirty, with suspected fake packaging materials, empty bottles, ethanol, and unknown liquid mixtures.
NAFDAC shared this news in a statement on Monday through its X handle. They noted that the person running the operation ran away when their officials arrived, leaving behind a vehicle loaded with packaging materials for Sir Edwards Scotch Whisky and Scottish Hills Whisky.
During the operation, NAFDAC officials found sealing machines, bottle caps, cartons, tanks with different liquid mixtures, and dirty sieves that were likely used in the production process.
"Plastic buckets and 200-litre drums filled with ethanol and tree bark soaked in ethanol were also found, raising serious concerns about the safety and quality of the products being produced," the statement said.
The agency also found a drum with about 200 litres of liquid in the abandoned vehicle, along with empty bottles and other suspected fake packaging materials. They estimated that the total value of the equipment and materials taken from the factory is over N500 million.
This discovery has raised worries about the health risks linked to the alcohol drinks made in such unclean conditions and without proper quality checks.
NAFDAC called on the public to report any suspicious illegal manufacturing activities to help with their enforcement work.
"NAFDAC urges members of the public to provide credible information on suspected illegal manufacturing activities," the statement continued.
The agency shared its call centre numbers, 0800-1-623322 and 0700-1-623322, as well as its email address, [email protected], for anyone to report illegal operations.
NAFDAC did not say if any arrests were made related to this discovery.
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