Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Imohimi Edgal, Wednesday led a crack team of policemen to the Ikorodu area of Lagos State, where they uncovered fake malt and stout brewery.
Discovered in the brewery, which is located at Egba Afa area, Igbogbo Bayeku community, were gallons and drums of different types. These drums and gallons are used in the production of the drinks.
Edgal said the illegal brewery would be sealed and samples taken to National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC).
The commissioner called on the residents to know their neighbours, stressing that vigilance was the watchword towards achieving a crime-free society.
He said: “The suspects will be further interrogated to know where the drinks are bottled and sold. This place was discovered on the principle of community policing. This success story of the police is evidence that community policing and partnership is working in the state.
“This is an illegal distillery where malt, stout and ethanol are being produced in an unhygienic environment, thereby feeding poison to the people.
“You will recall that a fake wine factory was also discovered at Mushin recently. This is as a result of vigilance and I encourage the people to do more.
“The information should have reached the police earlier, but we still commend those that gave us the information. People must be deeply involved in crime fighting and this can only be done if we are vigilant. Lagos residents can only give credible information to the police when they are healthy. I encourage Nigerians to say something, when they see something. I believe this is a confidence the Igbogbo Bayeku Local Government and the good people of the area have in us, which was why they gave us information.
“Most worrisome was that the producers were bottling and canning the drinks as if they were reputable companies that deal on the drinks.”
Edgal, therefore, called for additional vigilance from the public.
Preliminary investigation also revealed that the drinks were not bottled at the factory, as trucks would come into the factory to move them to another location for canning, bottling and distribution.
“We are going to extend our investigation to discover more areas so as to round up the entire process. We have arrested five suspects and they are presently being interrogated to assist us in the investigation,” the commissioner added.
See Photos below:
