Men of the Imo State Police command recorded another giant stride in the renewed war against fake liquor brewers in the state when it uncovered a factory producing sub-standard wines.
The police command who paraded the fake brewer after a tour of the discovered fake brewery said that the suspect, a 56 years-old man has allegedly been in the business for over ten years.
According to the commissioner of police, Mohamed Katsina, who led a team of police operatives and journalists to Ugbele in Atta Autonomous Community of Najaba LGA where a well covered with slab that provide the liquid for making fake but expensive wines like Moet, Red label, Hennessy, Mac Dowels, Eva wines among other were found, said that a team of operatives attached to the Command Ambush Squad acting on a credible intelligence swooped into the premises of Omenka Beverages limited located at kilometer 4 Ugbelle Atta road, Orlu, where Donatus Ogubia, the managing director was seen mixing substances and adulterating the several alcoholic and non alcoholic dinks, contrary to Donacs Aromatic schnapps, Donac Napoleon and Dovin Non Alcoholic drinks the company was registered to produce.
Police claimed that the suspect during interrogation did not only confess to the adulteration but also stated that the brand labels were locally printed.
On arrival Trumpeta observed heaps of empty bottles of different wines, and spirits, more than two GeePee storage tanks used for distillation and storage of the drinks.
Also discovered at the scene were already bottled, cocked and labeled assorted champagnes including eva wine. A locally made corking machine and empty cartoons of assorted brands of drinks.
What however disturbed policemen and Journalists was the discovery of a (pit well) covered with slab where water is collected to prepare the fake drinks.
On where he gets the label, police said Ogubia claimed he got it from Lagos but refused to disclose the location where he sales the product in open market and neighbouring states like Abia, Anambra, Edo, Delta, Enugu, Rivers and even Kaduna.
The owner of the fake wine factory Mr Donatus Ogubia who has been in the wine making business since 1995 told the press that some of the foreign drinks found in his shelves were only for his family consumption, maintaining that his Dona whisky and brandy are certified by NAFDAC.
Mr Donatus who is his late fifties further revealed that he started business with about 19 staff but because of the poor situation of Nigerian economy he now makes use of only 4 personnel.
Reacting to the discovery, the traditional ruler of the community HRH Eze Edwin Uch Azuike (Eze Udo 1 of Atta) denied having knowledge of the activity of the fake brewer which he condemned as a taboo, adding that the police commissioner has proven that he has the good of Imolites at heart.
He however pleaded with the prosecuting agencies, and the police to tamper justice with mercy on the perpetrators of the nefarious act.
