NATIONAL AGENCY FOR FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION AND CONTROL
CROSS RIVER STATE OFFICE, FEDERAL SECRETARIAT COMPLEX, MURTALA MOHAMMED HIGHWAY, CALABAR; Email: [email protected]
NEWS WORTHY REPORT
INVESTIGATIVE INSPECTION REPORT ON REPORTED CASE OF ADULTERATION OF GUINNESS PRODUCTS BRANDS
BACKGROUND:
A representative of Spyglass Security Ltd, a third party that provides investigative and brand protection for Guinness Nigeria Plc laid compliant that Guinness products are being adulterated and sold in Calabar, Etim Edem market and in Ikom market of Cross River State.
He came with a device called ALLIANCE READER which works with Midas technology embedded on the Guinness product brands. This detects the genuine from the fake products by showing green for genuine and red for the fake products when placed on the cork of the drink.
The device identifies mostly the company’s product brands like red label, black label, green label, blue label, gold label, Smirnoff red and double black label. Physical indication from the cap either by gumming, cello-taping and particles on the content show the fake in Mcdowell, Hennessy, Red Label, Black Label and St. Remy alcoholic drinks
Based on the above information, the officers above went out to investigate.
ACTIONS TAKEN:
- Combined team of NAFDAC and police raided the Etim Edem Park &Watt market in Calabar, and also Ikom main market and Ogoja road in Ikom; then screened the shops where alcoholic beverages are sold.
- The alliance device and organoleptic identifications were used.
- Ten (10) shops were identified with the violating products
- Inventory of the violating products were taken and the products confiscated to NAFDAC office, Calabar
- The owners of the shops were invited to the office where they were interviewed.
- Administrative charges were imposed on all of them when they said the products were supplied to them by roving seller without receipts to trace the person.
- These violating products were confiscated from the following shops:
- Confiscated from Jennifer Delight Enterprises at No.212 Etim Edem Park Calabar were 77 bottles (bts) Mcdowell, Johnnie Walker Red Label 4bottles, Johnnie Walker Black Label 13 bottles alcoholic drinks.
- Confiscated from Gods Will Wine Shop at Etim Edem Park, Calabar were 44bottles Mcdowell, and Johnnie Walker Red Label 2bottles alcoholic drinks.
- Confiscated from Clarawhyte Wine shop at No.176 Etim Edem Park Calabar were 1bottle Baileys, 67 bottles x 180ml Mcdowell, 16 bottles x 750ml Mcdowell, 1bt Red Label, 2 bottles Gold Label, 3 bottles Royal Challenge, 5 bottles Hennessy, and 1 bottle St. Remmy alcoholic drinks
- Confiscated from World Wide Shop at No.176 Etim Edem Park Calabar were 2bts Royal Challenge, 12bottles Red Label, 3 bottles Ginmg Dry Gin, 1 bottle De Remmy Dry Gin alcoholic drinks
- Confiscated from Ukemi Ekareki shop at No.179 Etim Edem Park Calabar were 23bottles x 375ml Mcdowell, 10 bottles x750ml Mcdowell, 10 bottles black label, 5bottles Red Label, 9 bottles Royal Challenge, and 10 bottles Gold Label alcoholic drinks
- Confiscated from O. E. Idika shop at Etim Edem Park Calabar were 12bottles x 375ml Mcdowell, 10 bottles x 750ml Mcdowell, Red Label 3 bottles, 12bottles Royal Challenge, 2 bottles Meridian, Brandy alcoholic drinks.
- Confiscated from L.O Ngobidi & Sons wine Shop at No.2 Etim Edem Park, Calabar, were 5 bottles of Red Label, and48 bottles Mc Dowells alcoholic drinks
- Confiscated from P&T Hotel at No.4 Ogoja Road, Ikom were 14 bottles Black Label, 7 Bottles Red Label, 12 bottles Jack Daniels, and 6 bottles Baileys alcoholic drinks
- Confiscated from Emmaco Enterprises (Nig.) at No.40 Park Lane /20 Cameroun line Main Market Ikom were 23 bottles Black Label, 2bottles Jack Daniels and 8 bottles x 180ml Mc Dowells alcoholic drinks.
- Confiscated from Blessed Emma Ventures at No.4 Ikom Main Line Ikom, were 10 bottles Black Label, 4 bottlesx 180ml Mc Dowells, 12 bottles x 750ml Mc Dowells, 6 bottles Red Label, 3 bottles Royal Challenge, and 6 bottles Gold Label alcoholic drinks.
FINDINGS:
- From the interview conducted, the office got that all of them bought without receipt so that it cannot be traced to the manufacturer.
- The alliance device identified these violating products with red indication on placing it at the cap.
- Organoleptic identifications were used in the office for those doubting that the products were not adulterated.
REMARKS:
- Administrative charges were imposed on them, (Nine) paid and (One) is yet to pay.
- The revenue generated so far from the work is One Million, Two Hundred and Fifteen Thousand Naira (N 1, 215,000. 00) only.
- They were all remorseful and said that they were not aware that the products were adulterated.
- They wrote letters of undertaking that they will never sell such violating products again.
- They forfeited the products to Federal government for destruction.
- Surveillance continues on the compliant.
More summaries can be given b PRU on this.
Attached are some snapshots of the raid.
By Mr. Richard Anichukwu (AD/State Coordinator)
*Transferred to I&E
