Police raid fake wine factory in Aba, arrest suspected operator

Men of the Abia State Police Command have raided a factory where syndicates who specialised in the production of fake food drinks carry out their illegal trade at Eziukwu Cemetery Market in Aba, the commercial nerve centre of the state.

Police detectives who worked in collaboration with the National Task Force on Smuggling and Adulterated Drugs arrested one Ben Ozinna, who hails from Utulu, Oru West Local Government in Imo State, believed to be running the factory together with other suspects now at large.

Items recovered at the factory are five cartons of Seaman Schnapps, empty Schnapps wrappings, two bottles of 501 and 24 bottles of St. Remy Martins.

A police source said that the suspects had imported industrial machines for corking the fake drinks from Japan, adding that the manufacturing process looked like a real factory.

“We met them in the factory while production was ongoing. They had perfected the production of the drinks so much that when you see them, you would think they were made in London.

“The worst of it all is that they used chemicals for the production of hair dye to colour the drinks. What they do is to mix the fake drinks in a big basin and fill the bottle.

“That is why it is injurious to the kidney and the intestines. We are calling on the members of the public to be careful of the kind of beverages they buy and consume,” the source said.

The suspect, however, denied taking part in the unlawful business and added that he was in the market to purchase a perfume when he was arrested and taken to the police station and accused of the crime.

He described himself as a trader at Ariaria International Market dealing in padlocks.

The state Commissioner of Police, Mr. Adeleye Oyebade, confirmed the arrest of the suspect and added that investigation was ongoing with a view to arresting other members of the gang.

Oyebade pointed out that Ozinna would soon be arraigned in court.