The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), said on Tuesday it has uncovered a counterfeit syndicate operating out of the Mile-3 Ultra Modern Market, Port Harcourt and specializing in producing alcoholic spirits of different brands, both domestic and foreign.

A statement issued by the agency’s Public Relations Officer, South-South Zone, Cyril Monye, said that the drinks which were being produced in five lock-up shops on the first floor of the market were done in crude and very unhygienic manner.

Gallons of liquid substances suspected of being ethanol and colourants were found in all the stores, he said.

According to him, “The ethanol were being mixed with colourants and used to fill used bottles of different brands of fast-selling foreign and locally made alcoholic beverages such as Chelsea dry gin, Lords dry gin, Seaman’s aromatic schnapps, Gordon’s dry gin, Elliot, Royal Challenge, Royal Circle, McDowell’s, Squadron dark rum, 501, Jonnie Walker, Grand Master’s, Three Barrels, Red Label, Black Label, Hennessy, etc and sold to unsuspecting members of the public.”

He said the five stores were evacuated and hundreds of empty bottles of alcoholic drinks, labels, cocks, packaging materials/cartons, more than fifty bottles of finished Chelsea dry gin and few other finished products were taken to NAFDAC office at Federal Secretariat, Port Harcourt.

Other items evacuated to NAFDAC office, according to him, include: 15-gallons; with some containing liquid substances suspected to be ethanol, 10 empty drums, plastic basins, pallets, colourants, glues, a set generator, etc.

FURTHER DETAILS LATER

Source: ThisDay