The police in Anambra State, Wednesday, raided a market in Onitsha and uncovered an underground warehouse where adulterated shoe polish estimated at N30m was stocked.
Addressing newsmen after the raid, the State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Garba Umar, said the action followed a complaint lodged by a holder of the franchise for Kiwi polish.
He said the development was an eye opener for the command on the illegalities going on in some markets in the state.
He said the adulterated products might have been brought in through the River Niger.
“This has brought to the fore, the need for the Police to beef up its Marine arm and partner better with the Nigerian Navy to improve security on the waterways”, Umar said.
CP Umar appealed to the public to support the war against fake products by volunteering credible information to relevant authorities while assuring of investigations on the matter to ensure that the perpetrators were brought to book.
The owner of the franchise for the product, Chief Sam Anyanwutaku, decried the huge damage the activities of such illegal manufacturers had caused genuine businessmen in the state and country.
Expressing gratitude to the State Police Command for its prompt response, Anyanwutaku said he reported the matter to the Police as soon as he received a report about the development.
On his part, the Chairman of the Market, Mr. Louis Onyeabo, absolved the market union of any complicity in the issue, statingthat thee market dealt only in clothing materials.
He said, “we have a standing policy against adulterated products.”
The confiscated products were later taken to the State Police Headquarters in Awka.
The warehouse located on a 3-storey Plaza on Marine modern market, Onitsha on the bank of River Niger, is allegedly owned by one Mr. Ebube who the Police said was at large.
