By PAMELA EBOH, Awka

A joint task force of Operation Clean and Healthy Anambra (OCHA Brigade) and Federal Government of Nigeria?s Presidential Task Force Against Economic Sabotage and Oil Vandalism have arrested seven suspects during a raid on an illegal wine production facility in Onowu Street by Chipet filling station, off Enugu-Onitsha Expressway, Onitsha.

According to the Managing Director of OCHA Brigade in the state, Celestine Anere, over two thousand, cartons of wines and already packaged drinks were seized, along with an unhealthy equipment such as mixing tank, improvised filter, and various packaging materials as well as bags of empty bottles, urging consumers to be vigilant, especially when purchasing alcoholic beverages and wines

The facility known as Aliban specializes in manufacturing fake wines and counterfeiting of popular brands such as Classic Heaven, Baron Devanis, Dutch Black, Triple MW and Hennessy among others

The facility was raided following credible intelligence received by the enforcement officers.

Speaking to journalists, the OCHA Brigade MD said the officers discovered that several packing stores and warehouses in the area had been converted into makeshift factories where different brands of alcoholic drinks and wines were being produced, packaged, and distributed in the open mark

The state coordinator of Federal Government of Nigeria Presidential Task Force Against Economic Sabotage and Oil Vandalism, Mr. Collins Enebeli, said that the task force is geared towards putting an end to all sorts of economic sabotage in the country and described Anambra state as one of leading states in the production of fake products.

Two of the suspects, Mrs. Happiness Titus and Ebelechukwu Anozie, said that they are only workers in the factory, trying to make ends meet without any knowledge of certification of the factory and pleaded for mercy from government, pointing out that their boss, Mr. Ikechukwu Alih supplies over one thousand cartons of wine every day.