NAFDAC raids Lagos Trade Fair Complex, says seized drinks worth over ₦2bn
The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control says it has raided more than 20 stores at the Lagos International Trade Fair Complex over suspected counterfeit alcoholic drinks.
Two people were arrested during the operation, while NAFDAC valued the products evacuated from the premises at more than ₦2 billion.
The agency said its Investigation and Enforcement Directorate carried out the raid on Tuesday after receiving intelligence about activities within makeshift stores at the complex.
NAFDAC alleges counterfeiting, revalidation
NAFDAC alleged that some premises were being used to counterfeit popular alcoholic-drink brands, revalidate expired or unsafe products for resale and store banned imported drinks.
Video from the enforcement exercise showed bottles, labels, packaging materials and other items at premises searched by officials.
The allegations remain NAFDAC’s account of the operation. The arrests do not establish guilt, and IDNN has not independently determined the regulatory status or composition of every product recovered.
Two suspects arrested
NAFDAC said two suspects were taken into custody during the operation.
Available reports do not establish that either person has been charged or convicted.
That distinction matters as the investigation moves from enforcement action toward any possible prosecution.
Agency values evacuated products above ₦2bn
NAFDAC said the products seized and evacuated during the operation were worth more than ₦2 billion.
The figure is the regulator’s valuation of the goods. It is not an established fraud amount, public loss or proceeds-of-crime figure.
The raid also raises a wider public-health question: whether any affected products had already reached consumers and what testing, tracing or further market action will follow.
NAFDAC has urged consumers to report suspected unlawful manufacture, revalidation or sale of regulated products.
The next accountability test is whether investigators can establish the supply chain behind the operation, determine the status of the recovered products and clarify whether any charges will follow.