The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration Control (NAFDAC) has promised “hard times” to producers of fake beverages following the arrest of one Anthony Chidi inside the Mile 3 Market in the Diobu area of Port Harcourt, the Rivers State capital.
Cyril Monye, NAFDAC’s Public Relations Officer for the South-South Zone, stated this in a statement on Wednesday.
Monye stated that the man, 52, was found inside the renowned market washing old bottles of several brands of alcoholic beverages.
Earlier, Chukwuma Oligbu, Director of NAFDAC South-South Zone, reaffirmed the agency’s commitment to putting a stop to such illegal activities.
Oligbu said, “Hard, hard times await those still involved in the illicit production of NAFDAC-regulated products.”
He issued a warning to those still involved in adulterating registered products to give up the illegal practice or, according to him, “be prepared to go to jail.”
Monye, in the statement, claimed the person was discovered “inside a dirty shop washing used bottles of various beverages he used in producing the unwholesome drinks and selling to unsuspecting members of the public.
“Items found in the shop include dirty empty bottles of different brands of local and foreign alcoholic beverages, gallons/jars of ethanol, washed empty bottles, cocks, packaging materials, various brands of already packaged drinks, funnel fitted with filters, etc.”
NAFDAC quoted the suspect as revealing when he started the business, saying, “Chidi said he started the illicit business about a year ago, having relocated from Aba in Abia State, where he mastered the trade.
“And that he also gets the labels and packaging materials from Aba while he buys the used bottles within Port Harcourt.”
The statement further said the shop was evacuated and everything inside relocated to the NAFDAC headquarters, while the suspect would be handed over to its Enforcement and Investigation Directorate for further investigation and prosecution.
