Two men have been sentenced to a combined 40 years imprisonment by the Federal High Court of Nigeria for producing and selling counterfeit alcoholic beverages in Lagos State.
The convicts, Otuorimuno Nelson Aziakpono, 58, and Ikegwuonu Davidson Ikechukwu, 28, were convicted for offences linked to the production, possession, sale and distribution of adulterated and unregistered alcoholic drinks.
Justice Allagoa J., who presided over the matter, found the duo guilty after reviewing the evidence presented before the court.
The conviction stemmed from an enforcement operation carried out on December 3, 2025, at Kojo Street, Ijanikin, and Vespa Market in Lagos, where the illegal activities were uncovered.
During the operation, regulatory officials discovered and confiscated large quantities of counterfeit and unregistered alcoholic beverages intended for public consumption.
Among the products recovered were fake versions of well-known brands, including Hennessy V.S.O.P and Very Special, Jameson Irish Whiskey, William Lawson’s Blended Scotch Whisky, and Gordon’s Dry Gin.
Investigations revealed that the products were counterfeit, unwholesome, unregistered, and misleadingly packaged in violation of extant regulatory provisions.
Following their arrest, the defendants were arraigned on an eight-count charge bordering on possession of unwholesome products, manufacture of counterfeit alcoholic beverages, and distribution and sale of fake drinks.
The prosecution was handled by the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC), which reiterated its commitment to protecting public health and sanitising the market of falsified products.
The agency warned that adulterated alcoholic beverages pose serious health risks to consumers, including poisoning, organ damage and other life-threatening complications.
NAFDAC further assured that it would continue to intensify enforcement actions nationwide and urged members of the public to remain vigilant and report suspicious products or activities to the nearest NAFDAC office, stressing that public cooperation is crucial in combating counterfeit and harmful goods,
