The Lagos Division of the Federal High Court has convicted and sentenced two men to a combined 40 years’ imprisonment for producing and distributing counterfeit alcoholic beverages in the state.
The convicts, Otuorimuno Nelson Aziakpono, 58, and Ikegwuonu Davidson Ikechukwu, 28, were found guilty of manufacturing, possessing, selling and distributing adulterated and unregistered alcoholic drinks.
Their conviction followed a December 3, 2025 enforcement raid carried out by the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control at Kojo Street, Ijanikin, and Vespa Market in Lagos.
NAFDAC said its operatives uncovered large quantities of fake and unregistered alcoholic beverages, including counterfeit versions of popular brands such as Hennessy, Jameson Irish Whiskey, William Lawson’s and Gordon’s.
According to the agency, laboratory investigations revealed that the seized products were unwholesome, misleadingly packaged and unsafe for human consumption.
The defendants were arraigned on eight counts bordering on possession of unwholesome products, as well as the manufacture and distribution of counterfeit beverages, contrary to relevant public health and consumer protection laws.
Delivering judgment, the court found the duo guilty on the charges and imposed prison terms amounting to 40 years.
Reacting to the verdict, NAFDAC described the judgment as a major boost to its ongoing crackdown on counterfeit and adulterated consumables.
The agency warned that fake alcoholic drinks pose grave health risks, including organ damage and death, and reiterated its resolve to intensify surveillance and enforcement operations across the country.
NAFDAC also urged members of the public to remain vigilant and report suspicious products and outlets to the nearest agency office to curb the circulation of counterfeit goods.
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