The Lagos State Police Command on Tuesday raided the site of where unwholesome wines, fruit juices and spirits are produced in the Oke Odo area of Lagos.
The police said they arrested a 48-year old man, Uju Daniel Ughanzi, who they identified as the owner of the illegal factory.
Discovered in the one-storey uncompleted building, which also serves as Mr Ughanzi’s family residence were assortment of fake wines, fruit juices and empty bottles.
Besides the wines and juices already produced were chemicals and reagents used in the production of fake products.
The Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Imohimi Edgal, who led some journalists to the illegal site, said that all samples of products recovered from the factory would be sent to the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) for laboratory analysis.
He added that the house has been sealed until investigation was concluded.
“This matter is an interesting case because it has to do with the health of Lagosians. Based on intelligence information that some fake assorted wines and gins were being brewed in an uncompleted building, I detailed my men to go after the perpetrators,” he said.
“On December 18, 2018, at about 2pm, the command received credible information that there existed a fake wine brewery in an uncompleted one-storey building in Aboru area of Oke Odo, Lagos, where assorted wine and alcoholic beverages were being produced. Based on the information, I directed the Area Commander, Area P, Alagbado Area Command, to mobilize to the scene, search and seal off the factory.
“When the team arrived the scene, they executed a search warrant, which enabled them to search and recover the following items: 4,000 bottles of already produced, packed and labelled adulterated wine of different brands; 1,000 empty bottles; drums of different sizes; chemicals and reagents used as raw materials, as well as other tools used in the production of fake wine/ beverages.
“During interrogation, the owner of the factory, Ughanze, a native of Obosi in Anambra State, confessed that he was the owner of the building where the illicit drinks were produced.”
Edgal further revealed that the suspect, a secondary school dropout, has neither the requisite qualification nor license to embark on such a business.
He noted that the factory serves as both production base and residence for the suspect, his wife and four children.
Uju, in his defence said he was still awaiting approval from NAFDAC to commence commercial production of the drinks.
Leave a Reply