NAFDAC bursts Trade Fair Complex den of fake energy drinks, wine, whisky ‘manufacture’
“I deal on drinks. I change the bottle of the drink. It's not that the bottle is not good. It's the drink in there, because the other one is already damaged" The post NAFDAC bursts Trade Fair Complex den of fake energy…
NAFDAC, the agency responsible for regulating and inspecting food, drugs, cosmetics and other regulated products in Nigeria, has for years battled a thriving trade in counterfeit and adulterated alcoholic drinks and beverages, often traced to informal manufacturing hubs within large commercial complexes like Lagos's Trade Fair Complex. Such sites have previously been flagged for repackaging expired or substandard products into branded bottles, a practice that poses serious health risks to unsuspecting consumers and undercuts legitimate manufacturers who pay for proper licensing and quality control.
Coverage of this latest raid agrees that NAFDAC's enforcement team uncovered a sizeable counterfeiting operation at the complex, though accounts differ slightly on the exact number of factories found — Channels TV cites over 20, while Leadership puts the figure at over 25. Channels TV additionally reports two suspects arrested and seized products valued at more than ₦2 billion, details not mentioned in the other reports. None of the outlets have yet indicated whether further arrests are expected or how the case will proceed through prosecution.