NAFDAC Destroys Over 100 Sacks Of Empty Bottles
By Sherif Salau
Officials of the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) have destroyed more than 100 sacks of empty liquor bottles seized from a residential building in Lagos, in a move aimed at disrupting the production of counterfeit alcoholic drinks.
The stockpile was discovered at 322B Meiran Road, Agbado Oke-Odo, by the agency’s Investigation and Enforcement Directorate after operatives received credible intelligence about suspicious activities at the location. The building, situated in a secluded residential area, contained large quantities of empty bottles of various sizes and brands, many of them covered with tarpaulins.
Assistant Director Kunle Ojo, who led the team, said the bottles included those associated with popular brands such as Action Bitter, Royal Circle Premium Whisky and other assorted alcoholic beverages. According to him, the empties were being stored for supply to individuals involved in counterfeiting.
“We saw different kinds of bottles stacked in this place. These are bottles covered with tarpaulins,” Ojo said in a video released by the agency. “We have a lot of bottles… now ready to be supplied to people that are counterfeiting.”
NAFDAC said the bottles were destroyed on site to prevent their reuse in the manufacture of fake alcoholic drinks. The agency did not disclose whether any suspects had been arrested in connection with the find.
The operation highlights a continuing challenge in Lagos and other parts of the country, where empty bottles of legitimate brands are collected and refilled with substandard or dangerous liquids before being sold as genuine products. Such counterfeits pose serious health risks to consumers and undermine legitimate businesses.
By removing this particular stockpile from circulation, regulators have closed one potential supply route for fake alcohol. Officials say intelligence-led operations of this kind remain central to efforts to protect the public from adulterated drinks.
