The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has uncovered more than 20 illegal stores allegedly used to produce and distribute counterfeit alcoholic drinks at the Trade Fair Complex in Ojo, Lagos, with seized products valued at over ₦2 billion.
The operation, conducted on Tuesday, October 13, followed intelligence received by NAFDAC’s Investigation and Enforcement Directorate. Officers raided makeshift stores concealed within parking spaces at Zamfara Plaza, BBA Trade Fair Complex, along the Badagry Expressway.
According to the agency, those operating inside the facility were allegedly blending fake versions of popular alcoholic beverage brands, preparing expired or unsafe drinks for resale and storing prohibited imported products. Two suspects were arrested during the exercise.
The scale of the discovery raises concerns about how counterfeit and potentially unsafe beverages enter local markets, where unsuspecting consumers may purchase them believing they are genuine products.
NAFDAC said some operators were allegedly revalidating expired drinks, a practice that could mislead buyers about a product’s age and safety. Expiry dates and product labels help consumers make informed purchasing decisions. Tampering with them can remove an important safeguard, particularly when the contents have deteriorated or their storage conditions are unknown.
Counterfeit alcoholic drinks also create a problem beyond brand imitation. Consumers may have no reliable way to establish the ingredients, alcohol concentration or production conditions of an unauthorised product. Where contents are adulterated or contaminated, consumption could expose people to serious health risks. However, NAFDAC has not disclosed laboratory findings confirming the composition or toxicity of the products seized in this operation.
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The agency has not identified the arrested suspects, named the affected beverage brands or disclosed the quantity of drinks recovered. It also did not state whether the products had already reached retailers or consumers before the raid.
The reported value of more than ₦2 billion indicates the potential commercial scale of the operation, although NAFDAC’s statement did not explain how the valuation was calculated. The figure should therefore not be interpreted as the amount earned by the suspects or the financial loss suffered by consumers.
The discovery also highlights the challenge of policing informal commercial spaces where goods can be stored, repackaged or processed away from ordinary retail scrutiny. Enforcement action can remove suspect products, but sustained inspections and cooperation from traders are also important in preventing such operations from resurfacing.
NAFDAC called on members of the public to report suspicious manufacturing, expiry-date alteration or sales activities through its official complaints line, 0800-1-NAFDAC (0800-1-623322).
Consumers can reduce their exposure by buying alcoholic beverages from reputable outlets, checking seals and labels, and avoiding products with altered dates, unusual packaging or suspiciously low prices.
The agency’s next steps, including laboratory testing, prosecution and the disposal of seized goods, will help establish the full extent of the alleged operation and determine whether further action is necessary.
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