In a decisive operation, officers from the Isokoko Division of the Lagos State Police Command have uncovered and dismantled a clandestine operation producing counterfeit alcoholic beverages in Agege.
The Command’s Public Relations Officer, Benjamin Hundeyin, revealed the successful raid in a video shared on social media, detailing the apprehension of four individuals believed to be the masterminds behind the illicit distillery. During the operation, a cache of fake drinks, along with empty bottles and labels from various brands, was seized as evidence.
Hundeyin stated, “Officers of Isokoko Division, acting on credible information, raided a house in Agege where fake alcoholic drinks were being produced.” He emphasized that investigations are ongoing to unravel further details surrounding the illegal enterprise.
This crackdown comes in the wake of heightened efforts to combat the proliferation of counterfeit goods across Nigeria. Just months earlier, the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) intercepted counterfeiters involved in the production of fake beverages, including wine and soft drinks, valued at over N750,000,000 in the Eziukwu market in Aba, Abia State.
Similarly, in December 2023, officers attached to the Ojo Division of the Lagos State Police Command apprehended two suspects, Magnus Nwonka and Imo Lawrence, in possession of fake drinks. The suspects led detectives to a clandestine factory operating in unsanitary conditions, underscoring the prevalence of illicit manufacturing activities in the region.