By Oluwayemi Davidson, Warri
The police have uncovered a fake alcoholic wine factory at Ovwia in Udu Local Government Area of Delta State.
The suspected producer of the fake alcoholic wine factory who was arrested by the police operatives is currently in custody.
Sources said that the police detectives swooped on the fake wine factory in the evening of 16/4/2021, following due intelligence gathering.
The police team led by the Commander of the State Anti cult unit, SP Christopher Igbaji reportedly mobilized operatives from SACU together with the civilian anti-cult volunteer corps, on a sting operation at the illegal facilities.
Consequently, one kenneth Ajie was arrested by the security operatives at the illegal factory in Amadaga village where the fake wine was being produced.
When questioned, the suspect who produces these fake wines in his house, confessed to operating without any license adding that he sells the fake wine for the sum of N300 per bottle and N3,600 per carton.
He further confessed to the security operatives that he bottles the wine himself, using disposed bottles which he buys at ten naira each.
The suspect further confessed to the police team that he buys the cork from open market, wash the bottles himself, cork the wines himself, and sells to unsuspecting members of the public.
He claimed that he works alone and produces about one to three cartons per day.
Exhibits recovered from the suspect included bottles of the drinks suspected to be fake alcoholic wine.
The acting police public relations officer (PPRO) for the State Command, DSP Bright Edafe told our correspondent that investigations continue on the incident.
In anofher development, on 28/04/2021 at about 0120hrs, men of ‘A’ Division, Warri received a distress call from one of the police constabularies attached to ‘B’ Division Warri that four suspected armed robbery gang in a Toyota Camry were operating at Ubor axis of the metropolis.
The DPO ‘A’ Division, Warri, CSP T.Y. Mahmud mobilized and led anti-crime patrol team in search of the hoodlums who were later sighted between Ogwangwe and NPA area.
The police engaged the gangsters in a hot chase to Iyara, where the hoodlums eventually abandoned the Toyota Camry Reg no. TE845 AAA.
On investigation, the abandoned vehicle happened to be the same vehicle earlier stolen at Ekuremu Street in Warri on April 22, 2021, belonging to a renowned journalist, Felix Ekwu.
The police spokesman told newsmen that one locally made single barrel loaded, one live cartridge, were recovered from the fleeing hoodlums who were believed to have escaped with bullet injuries as few shots were released toward their escape route.
He said that the DPO ‘A’ Division who led men for a search party, recovered abandoned shoes, neck chain and phone charging cord at the escape route and subsequently put Iyara vigilante and indigenes of Iyara on red alert and to be on the lookout as well.
Meanwhile, the Commissioner of Police for the State Command, CP Ari Muhammed Ali has reiterated the commitment of his officers and men to continue to deliver on the earlier promise to make the state to be crime free saying that “everything possible would be done to take the battle to these criminals”.