The Imo state police command has arrested a 56 year-old man, Mr Ogbubia Donatus, for running a fake wine factory.

While conducting newsmen round the factory located at Ugbele Atta in Njaba Local Government Area of Imo state, the state Commissioner of Police, Mohammed Katsina, said the command’s ambush squad on getting wind of the illegal wine factory monitored their activities for some time.

Preliminary investigations revealed that the factory began operations since 2005 with the production of fake alcoholic and non-alcoholic assorted drinks like Hennessy, Red Label, Red Wine of all sorts, Eva Wine, Seaman Schnapps, Mc Dowells and various fruit wine, all carrying foreign labels from Spain, South Africa and Germany.

According to Mr Katsina, the investigations further revealed that the operator earlier in 2005 got approval from NAFDAC to produce only 2 fruit wine.

The suspect, Ogbubia Donatus, 56, in his incoherent statements claimed that most of the drinks were not for public consumption and only for private use. He added that the business was set up as a means of livelihood and to make ends meet.

Katsina noted that according to the suspect, he had earlier disclosed during police interrogation that he had customers in most of the neighbouring states and even far away Lagos state and some other states in the north.