The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) says it has seized alcoholic beverages packaged in sachets and PET bottles below 200 millilitres worth N300 million in Lagos.
Earlier in January, NAFDAC said its enforcement of the ban on alcoholic beverages in sachets and small plastic or glass bottles was aimed at protecting children and young people, not punishing manufacturers.
Mojisola Adeyeye, NAFDAC director-general, said in a statement that the policy was driven by public health concerns and growing evidence that alcohol packaged in sachets and containers below 200 millilitres has contributed to underage drinking across the country.
In July, NAFDAC commenced a nationwide enforcement operation to remove alcoholic beverages packaged in sachets and PET bottles from circulation.
It said the mop-up operation is in line with the federal government’s ban on the production, importation, distribution, sale, and use of such products.
Sharing an update on its enforcement in an X post on Sunday, NAFDAC said it has shut down some distributors of the banned products.
The agency said the distributors and retailers were arrested during operations at Ile-Epo market.
It said raids were also conducted across Ojuwoye market, Mushin, and Oke-Arin market in Lagos Island.
NAFDAC said that its officials evacuated several cartons of alcoholic beverages packaged in sachets and PET bottles below 200 ml from these locations.
“Investigations indicated that some distributors and retailers were hoarding the products amid increased demand and rising prices,” the post reads.
“NAFDAC emphasises that the ban remains in force and warns distributors, retailers and other operators against the sale, distribution or hoarding of the prohibited products.”
The agency added that the two suspects, Grace Ehis Eke, a 70-year-old woman; and Azudigwu Prince Eva, a 43-year-old man; are currently under investigation.
