Mass death after consumption of dry gin: NAFDAC smashes syndicate on fake alcoholic beverages in Port Harcourt

Rivers State suffered mass death from consumption of suspected locally brewed gin last year. Now, the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) says it has successfully smashed a criminal ring inside Mile 3 Ultra Modern Market said to specialise in illicit production of different brands of fake alcoholic beverages.

NAFDAC said the drinks were being produced in five lock-up shops on the first floor of the market. The agency’s statement on Tuesday, said these were done in crude and very unhygienic manner. “Gallons of liquid substances suspected to be ethanol and colorants were found all over the stores.”

NAFDAC added: “The ethanol were being mixed with colorants 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.”

NAFDAC said the Mile 3 Market has been on its radar for the production of illicit alcoholic beverages but previous raids by the agency had only succeeded in mopping up fake alcoholic drinks being sold in shops and sanctioning their owners until this recent eye-opening discovery.

NAFDAC coordinator in Rivers State, Mercy Ndukwe, when contacted said; “The clandestine activities of the counterfeiters were discovered after a tip-off from a good Nigerian and when NAFDAC got to the market the stores were under lock and key but were later forced open.”

She went on: “The stores where these illicit alcoholic drinks were beeing produced are located in a very filthy and unhygienic environment in an isolated end of the market.”

She, however, said that NAFDAC could not apprehend the syndicate behind the criminal act as they failed to show up while the leadership of the market claimed to be unaware of their activities. She added that investigations were still ongoing with the leadership of the market to track down the fakers.

The chairman of Mile 3 Market Association, Nwachukwu OKanu, in his reaction, condemned what he called the surreptitious manner the counterfeiters invaded the market with their criminal activities. He pledged their cooperation with NAFDAC in weeding out bad eggs in their mist and called on would-be counterfeiters to embrace lawful means of livelihood, as the market authority would not protect any person involved in illegality.

The five stores were evacuated and hundreds of empty bottles of the faked brands were taken to NAFDAC office at Federal Secretariat, Port Harcourt.