WINE OF DEATH: FAKE WINE COMPANY OPERATES FREELY IN WARRI WHILE NAFDAC TURN A BLIND EYE

Secret Reporters

In recent years National Agency For Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has intensified its efforts to clamp down on dealers and producers of fake drugs and food products which may be termed “poisonous” for human consumption, however, some unscrupulous elements in the society still operate in grey areas, in some cases with impunity and without the intervention of NAFDAC or other relevant security agencies, SecretReporters can authoritatively report.

Hard evidence made available to SecretReporters reveal that the city of Warri in Delta State has become a safe haven for producers and distributors of fake drugs and unregistered food products as they now operate without any form of intervention or confrontation causing untold harm and in most cases death to buyers who are ignorant of their existence.

Investigations carried out by this online news medium shows that a fake wine company which operates locally without a name has been operating at No. 2 Edetor Street, Mcdermott Road, Warri with impunity for more than a year now. The company which operates without accreditation by NAFDAC or other relevant agencies produces all kinds of wine products both alcoholic, non-alcoholic, local and international using bottles from already consumed original products, and mixing all sort of unknown chemicals to form poisonous substances which are sold to unsuspecting citizens at a rate cheaper than the price of the original product in the market.

Video evidence showed that the mushroom company has agents comprising of indigenes and residents in the area seeking to make ends meet, who go around events centres and other functions around the city to gather bottles that have been used and disposed of, which are later washed and sold to the company for production. Owing to the fact that business is good due to high patronage, many of these agents have big bags filled with various brands of wine bottles awaiting patronage from the company.

Further investigations also reveal that other individuals who are semi-literate and without jobs but driven by a desire to make a living, volunteer to become agents for this venal company despite the general awareness that the product is fake and unaccredited. It was however shocking to know that these agents approach those planning to host events as well as vendors who sell wine posing as representatives or marketers from various wine companies with repute seeking to supply any wine product of their choice for the occasion. Having secured a contract to supply, they swing into action and package poisonous substances they call “wine” into the bottles carrying the label of the wine product needed by the customer and delivers to be consumed.

It is pertinent to note that some time ago, security agents stormed the company and arrested the operators headed by a man popularly known as “Charcoal” but it was however surprising that after they were bailed with N500,000, they reopened for operations after about a month of being closed down and have been in operation since then without any interference from relevant agencies.

Residents in the area who spoke to our reporter on condition of anonymity queried the continued operation of the mushroom company without the interference of relevant agencies, alleging that the operators must have greased the palms of security agents in the state as it is evident that the substance packaged for the consumption of the public is poisonous and an outright assault of wine producers who have patent and accredited by theses relevant agencies especially NAFDAC.

Below is the video showing the area where the wine is produced.