Operatives of the Operation Clean and Healthy Anambra, popularly called, “OCHA Brigade”, have uncovered thousands of fake liquid disinfectants and soaps being prepared for unsuspecting members of the public.
The items were found during a raid on an illegal disinfectant manufacturing factory located at 14, Chris Ugoezu Street, Odume Obosi, in Idemili North Local Government Area of the state.
The Managing Director of OCHA Brigade, Celestine Anere,who disclosed this while speaking to journalists in Onitsha, on Wednesday, said that the early morning raid, which took place on Tuesday, followed a coordinated effort of the brigade to clamp down on all unregulated and dangerous goods circulating in the state.
Anere, further said that the factory which has since been sealed was operating without licenses, using manual-mixing equipment, unlabelled chemicals, thinners, and counterfeit packaging materials to produce dangerous household items.
“Officers discovered an extensive stockpile of unregistered chemicals, fake medicated and antiseptic soaps, and counterfeit versions of popular disinfectant brands—none of which were approved by the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control.
“This is not just illegal—it is a direct threat to public health. We uncovered thousands of fake liquid disinfectants and soaps being prepared for unsuspecting members of the public.
“The federal and state governments have zero tolerance for this kind of criminality and will not hesitate to prosecute anyone endangering their lives’, he stated.
He noted that during the raid, five suspects were arrested and are currently undergoing interrogation, while a manhunt has been launched for other fleeing suspects.
Anere warned that similar operations would continue across the state to rid Anambra of illegal businesses that compromise health and safety standards.
The OCHA Brigade boss also urged the public to remain vigilant and report any suspicious industrial activity within their communities.
“The confiscated items have been taken in for proper disposal and investigations are ongoing to apprehend all individuals connected to the illegal operation.
“This raid underscores the Anambra State Government’s intensified efforts to enforce health, safety, and environmental laws through the OCHA Brigade and other enforcement agencies,” he added.
Some residents around the community expressed shock at the discovery.
A resident, who gave his name as Ikechukwu Ukatwu, who lives in the same building as the factory, said, “We never suspected anything like this. The person running the factory barely spoke to anyone and kept to himself.”
Another resident, Ms Amarachi Deborah, echoed the same sentiments, stating that the factory’s operations were “well-hidden” and “highly discreet.”
