Policemen from Area D Command, Mushin, Lagos State have arrested a 55-year-old man, Benjamin Ojukwu, for allegedly producing various brands of adulterated foreign wines.
The suspect was arrested on March 30 in his factory in Ojuwoye Market, Mushin.
He produces drinks such as Hennessy, Skyy, Seaman’s Schnapps, Royal Circle, Gordons, White and Blue, Red Label and Crown Seaman at the factory.
Said to have been station in Nnewi, Anambra State before his factory was gutted by fire, Ojukwu, who then relocated to Lagos, said: “My customers had never complained of my wine of being fake since they had been patronising me.
“I also drink out of the wine I produce.
“It is true I don’t have NAFDAC certificate.
“I learnt my my wine production in Taiwan before I came Nigeria four years ago.
“It was after my factory was destroyed in Anambra that I relocated to Lagos to continue with my business.
“I was arrested after my enemies in the market who noticed my progress reported me to the police that I am producing fake wines.
“It was my wife the police arrested first before they arrested me later.”
Ojukwu said his colleagues who learnt wine production with him in Taiwan were given loan by their governments, adding: “I see my arrest as a blessing in disguise because government would know me and locate me to give me loan.
“Since my factory got burnt, I have been living from mouth to hand to survive.
“Even my wife left me to marry.
“I later remarried another woman.
“Those wine the policemen recovered from my shop were those I bought to complement my brand called Able Wine and Gin.
“I source for the material I use for the production in open market at Ojota and Mushin area.
“I regret my action for adulterating another person’s brand and selling them to the public.”
The Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Edgal Imohimi, who paraded the suspect alongside others at the Command headquarters in Ikeja, said: “In our fight against crime in the state, credible intelligence made to the command, Area D, the Assistant Commissioner of Police Akinbayo Olasoji, and his men stormed Ojuwoye Market in Mushin on March 30, 2018 and recovered fake wine worth over N1 million.
“A valid search warrant was executed in the suspect’s shop, which also serves as his house.
“Brands of different wines and hot drinks suspected to be adulterated, empty wine bottles, labelled bottle corks of different types of wine and hot drinks were found in his shop.
“We are going to get to the root of the matter.
“And in order to get to the root of the matter, the command will work with relevant agencies to ensure the needful is done with the case.”
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