The National Agency for Food, Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has sealed three stores for allegedly producing fake alcoholic drinks in Rivers.

Usman Ameh, the Chief Laboratory Technologist, Investigation and Enforcement, NAFDAC Apapa, Lagos headquarters, made this known to reporters in Port Harcourt.

He said this after the arrest of two persons who allegedly specialised in producing and selling fake alcoholic drinks.

Mr Ameh said the agency’s aim of raiding the illicit outlets of alcoholic drinks and food production in the country was to reduce the death rate.

“We have been able to seal about four facilities in this area, and we are going to seal more within the week to ensure we cut down on the illicit production,” he said.

The NAFDAC official said the agency discovered materials, including gin, Brandy, and Schnapps labels and flavours.

“Other items found are empty bottles, their corks, different labels like Imperial blue, Red label, Gin label, champagne and Hennessy spirit bottles in packs with their labels.

“There were also different brands of cartons for packaging the illicit alcoholic products.

“We also saw all brands of alcoholic bottles on shelves and cartons like Gulder, Legend, Four cousins, a gas cylinder, and a stove for cooking chemicals as our exhibits.

“We also sealed a store where already produced illegal drinks are sold; the owner of the shop abandoned his shop and jumped a fence on sighting us,” he said.

Adeniran Kazuum, the NAFDAC Assistant Chief Regulatory Officer, Apapa Lagos, said the dealers worked like a cartel with many branches all over Nigeria.

He assured that the agency would curb the production of illegal drinks in the country and urged the dealers to desist from the act or face the consequences.

Okechukwu Alaoke, one of the arrested producers of illicit dry gin drinks in Omachi street, Rumuodumaya, Obio/Akpor Local Government Area, said he had been in the business for more than three years.

Mr Alaoke said he learnt how to trade on empty alcohol bottles and chemicals for the production of illicit dry gin from his master in Aba, Abia.

(NAN)