NAFDAC Uncovers Lagos Residential Building Stockpiled With Empty Liquor Bottles For Suspected Counterfeit Drinks
NAFDAC Uncovers Lagos Residential Building Stockpiled With Empty Liquor Bottles For Suspected Counterfeit Drinks
The agency said its Investigation and Enforcement Directorate discovered the stockpile at 322B Meiran Road, Agbado Oke-Odo, Lagos, following credible intelligence about suspected illicit activities in the area.
The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has uncovered a residential building in Lagos State where empty bottles of assorted alcoholic beverages were stored for suspected use in the production of counterfeit drinks.
The agency said its Investigation and Enforcement Directorate discovered the stockpile at 322B Meiran Road, Agbado Oke-Odo, Lagos, following credible intelligence about suspected illicit activities in the area.
NAFDAC disclosed the operation in a post on its official X account on Friday, adding that more than 100 sacks of empty bottles were discovered and destroyed to prevent their reuse in the production of counterfeit alcoholic beverages.
In a video accompanying the announcement, an Assistant Director in the agency’s Investigation and Enforcement Directorate, Kunle Ojo, said operatives found large quantities of empty bottles of different alcoholic beverage brands stacked in the building.
Ojo said the location was in a secluded residential area and that the bottles were stored under tarpaulins and in different sections of the premises.
“Based on credible intelligence, we are in number 322B, Meiran Road, Agbado Oke-Odo, Lagos State,” he said, explaining why the agency deployed its operatives to the location.
He added that the discovery raised concerns about the possible supply of the bottles to individuals involved in counterfeiting alcoholic beverages.
“What these people are planning to do, or what they do here, is to watch the bottle supply to different suspected counterfeiters, to be used for another production,” Ojo said.
According to him, the operatives found bottles of different sizes and brands, including Action Bitter, Royal Circle premium whiskey and Smirnoff, among other assorted alcoholic beverages.
The bottles were stacked in several sections of the premises, with some covered by tarpaulins, the official said.
Ojo described the discovery as unacceptable, particularly because the stockpile was located in a residential neighbourhood.
“This is a residential area. And this is not acceptable to government. And we are here to safeguard the health of the nation,” he said.
NAFDAC said the destruction of the more than 100 sacks of empty bottles was intended to prevent them from being reused in the production of counterfeit alcoholic drinks.
The agency did not disclose whether any suspects had been arrested in connection with the discovery or identify the individuals allegedly responsible for storing the bottles.
It also did not provide further details on how long the bottles had been kept at the location or the extent of any suspected counterfeiting operation linked to the premises.
Ojo urged residents to report suspicious activities in their communities to the agency, saying public cooperation was necessary to combat the circulation of counterfeit products.
“We are calling on all women in Nigeria. Please, when you see something taking place at your area, kindly notify the nearest NAFDAC office, so that we can stop this menace,” he said.
The agency’s operation comes amid concerns over the public health risks associated with counterfeit alcoholic beverages, which may be produced under unsafe conditions or contain undeclared and potentially harmful substances.
The reuse of genuine beverage bottles by counterfeiters can also make it difficult for consumers to distinguish fake products from authentic ones, potentially exposing unsuspecting buyers to health risks.
The latest discovery comes just over a week after the agency uncovered an alleged large-scale counterfeit alcoholic beverage operation at the Lagos International Trade Fair Complex, where it seized products valued at more than ₦2 billion.
NAFDAC said its Investigation and Enforcement Directorate carried out the raid on Tuesday, October 13, 2026, following credible intelligence, uncovering more than 20 illegal stores allegedly used for illicit activities within the complex.
According to the agency, its operatives found suspects blending and counterfeiting popular alcoholic beverage brands, revalidating expired and unsafe drinks for resale, and stockpiling banned imported products.
In a post on its X handle, NAFDAC said two suspects were arrested during the operation, while the seized products were evacuated.
The agency warned that the activities posed a potential threat to public health, particularly as expired or unsafe alcoholic beverages could be repackaged and returned to the market for consumption.
