Operatives of the Lagos State Police Command have arrested four suspects for allegedly producing adulterated Dettol disinfectant and Air Wick air freshener in the Okokomaiko area of the state.
The suspects; Francis Ume, 32; Chidubem Ache , 44; Peter Ume, 44; and Ejike Jacob, 41, were arrested on Wednesday.
The state Commissioner of Police, Edgal Imohimi, while parading the suspects told journalists on Wednesday that the Divisional Police Officer in charge of the Okokomaiko Police Station, CSP Aliyu Lukman, acting on a tip-off, mobilised his operatives to the suspects’ operational base and arrested them.
He added that a truck loaded with cartons of the adulterated disinfectant and air freshener valued at N7m was also recovered from them.
Imohimi said, “Does this look like the original Dettol? But this can easily confuse anybody in the market. These arefake products and I am sure that the company that manufactures Dettol and Air Wick will be interested in this because their products are being faked.
“The Divisional Police Officer in charge of Okomaiko Police Station, CSP Aliyu Lukman, following a tip-off, which turned out to be credible intelligence, was able to monitor the activities of these four suspects and in the process, discovered that they had rented an apartment where they were manufacturing these products. After manufacture, they bottled them and pushed them into the market as original.
“So, you can imagine when mothers are using this type of fake Dettol to bathe their children or use it for medicinal purposes and it’s not working. People will begin to question the original company manufacturing Dettol that they are reducing the efficacy of the product.
“We have impounded a lorry load of the fake items estimated at N7m. I urge everybody to be vigilant when they go to the market. And that is why most of the manufacturers of products usually tell members of the public to look out for certain trademarks or NAFDAC approval when they buy their products.”
The CP added that investigation was ongoing and that the suspects were still being interrogated.
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