ONITSHA — Operatives of the Anambra State Police Command attached to the Rapid Response Squad and the Visual Crime Recording Unit (VCRU) have arrested two men suspected of running an illegal factory producing and distributing adulterated alcoholic drinks across the state.
The suspects, 42-year-old Ikechukwu Okeke and Okeke Chukwuemeka, 38, were picked up in the early hours of Monday, 15th June 2026, following what police described as credible intelligence.
State Police Public Relations Officer, SP Tochukwu Ikenga, said preliminary findings suggest the pair belong to a syndicate specialising in counterfeiting a range of popular alcoholic beverages.
“During interrogation, the suspects reportedly confessed to the crime and subsequently led operatives to their mini-factory,” Ikenga said in a statement.
At the facility, police recovered a haul of suspected fake products, including Seaman’s Schnapps, McDowell’s, Eagle Schnapps, Elliot Hot Drinks, and Baileys Fresh Cream.
Dangerous chemicals believed to be used in the production process were also seized.
Officers additionally found empty bottles, labels, and other packaging materials intended for the continued manufacture of the counterfeit goods.
Both men remain in police custody, while the exhibits have been secured for forensic examination and evidential purposes.
The investigation is ongoing to track down other members of the syndicate and establish the full scale of their operation.
Anambra Commissioner of Police, CP Ikioye Orutugu, praised the officers for the successful bust and issued a stark warning to anyone involved in faking consumables: “Desist or face the full weight of the law.”
