The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has seized counterfeit packaging materials valued at more than ₦200 million during a raid on five shops at Old Court Road Market in Aba, Abia State.
The agency disclosed this in a statement published on its official X account on Wednesday, October 14, following an operation by its Investigation and Enforcement Directorate.
According to NAFDAC, the raid followed intelligence reports about the alleged production and supply of counterfeit packaging materials designed to imitate established brands.
The seized items included labels, corks, packs and outer packaging bearing the names of several brands, including Jameson, Glenfiddich, Four Cousins, Lord’s Dry Gin, Imperial Blue, Goya Oil, Chelsea, Squadron and Seaman’s Aromatic Schnapps.
The agency estimated the value of the recovered materials at more than ₦200 million.
NAFDAC said its operatives encountered threats and resistance from some traders during the operation, making it difficult to remove all the seized materials from the premises.
The agency added that the owners of the five shops were absent during the raid. The premises were subsequently placed under restriction to prevent interference with the materials left inside.
The market union chairman was also invited and reportedly pledged to help secure the premises and assist in identifying the shop owners.
Counterfeit packaging can make imitation products appear genuine, potentially misleading consumers about their identity, source and authenticity.
When used to package counterfeit alcoholic beverages or other regulated products, such materials can make it more difficult for consumers to distinguish genuine products from imitations, raising concerns about product safety and consumer protection.
The operation forms part of NAFDAC’s efforts to disrupt the supply chain for counterfeit products and protect consumers from potentially unsafe goods.
However, the agency’s findings relate to the packaging materials seized during the raid and do not, by themselves, establish that finished counterfeit alcoholic beverages were recovered during the operation.
