The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) on Wednesday arrested a suspected producer of counterfeit alcoholic drinks during an enforcement operation in Benin, Edo State.

The suspect, Daniel Okafor, was apprehended at a facility located on Ewah Road, off Ikpoba Slope in Benin, where he was allegedly producing different brands of alcoholic beverages.

Mukhtar Babatunde, an assistant chief regulatory officer of NAFDAC, who led the operation, told journalists that the arrest followed intelligence gathering and surveillance that lasted for more than one month.

According to him, the operation was carried out after the agency received information that production had resumed at the facility.

“We have been trailing him for over one month over the adulteration of different brands of alcoholic gin. When we received intelligence that he had started production, we came in and met him in the course of production.

“It took a very intelligent effort to gain access to the premises, and when we entered, we found finished products already on the ground, including Lord’s Dry Gin, Majestic Schnapps, packaging materials, and labels.

“We also recovered about 12 litres of ethanol, the grade of which cannot be ascertained for now,” Mr Babatunde said.

During questioning by officials at the scene, Mr Okafor admitted producing three alcoholic drink brands, including Eagle, Lord, and Chelsea.

He also admitted that he was not registered and had no company name.

The suspect told officials that the labels used for the products were sourced from Aba and that he had been producing the drinks for about two years.

He also said the products were transported through waybills to some locations in Onitsha.

The suspect was later handed over to an enforcement team from the Investigation and Enforcement Directorate, Asaba, for further investigation.

(NAN)