By Onome Oghenetega
Police in Delta State have uncovered an illegal factory where fake alcoholic wines of different brands are produced at Ovwian in Udu Local Government Area of the state.
The operator of the illegal factory, Kenneth Ajie, has been arrested by operatives of the command attached to the State Anti-Cult Unit headed by SP Christopher Igbaji.
A statement issued on Thursday by the State Police Public Relations Officer (PPRO), DSP Bright Edafe, said the suspect was arrested at the premises of the illegal factory on Friday April 16, 2021.
It said the suspect had already confessed to the crime following further investigation on his activities on the illegal business.
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“On 16/4/21 at about 2030hrs, the commander Delta state command state Anti-cult Unit SP Christopher Igbaji after due intelligence gathering, mobilized operatives from SACU on a sting operation with the civilian anti-cult volunteer corps and arrested one Kenneth Ajie ‘m’ of Amadaga village and uncovered an illegal factory where fake alcohol is been produced at Ovwian in Udu local government area of Delta State.
“The suspect who produces these fake wines in his house, operate without any license, according to the suspect, he sells the wine for the sum of three hundred naira (#300) per bottle and three thousand, six hundred naira (#3,600) per carton.
“He confessed that he bottles the wine himself, he uses bottles that has already been used and dispose, and he buys these bottles at Ten naira (#10.00) per bottle, and he also buys the cork from open market. He claims he washes the bottles himself, cork the wines himself, and sells to members of the public.
“According to him, he works alone and produces about one to three cartons per day. Exhibits recovered include bottles of the drinks suspected to be fake alcoholic wine. Case is still under investigation.”
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Meanwhile, the command has recovered a Toyota Camry belonging to the State Assistant Secretary of the Nigeria Union Journalist (NUJ) and senior staff of the Delta Broadcasting Service (DBS), Edjeba-Warri which was stolen from his home last Thursday (April 22nd) in Warri.
The statement said the now fleeing robbers were using the car for a robbery operation when a crack team of policemen from ‘B’ and ‘A’ Divisions in Warri engaged the suspects and subsequently abandoned the car.
The command spokesman posited that the feat was achieved through the determined resolve of the State Commissioner of Police, Ari Muhammed Ali, to his men to flush out criminal elements operating across the state.
“Delta state Police commissioner of police CP Ari Muhammed Ali FCIA, PSC+ has continued to deliver on his promise for the state to be crime free, and as such, men of the command everything possible by taking the battle to these criminals”, the statement added.
