Behind the colourful displays of imported wines, spirits and locally distributed drinks, some dealers say they can no longer be certain that products supplied by fellow wholesalers are genuine.
For traders who have spent years in the business, the concern goes beyond financial losses. Selling a counterfeit drink unknowingly could damage their reputation, cost them customers and expose consumers to potentially dangerous substances.
The growing suspicion has disrupted traditional business relationships, with some traders now preferring established suppliers and familiar distribution channels over cheaper offers from unfamiliar dealers.
One trader said counterfeit products had made it difficult to trust even suppliers whose drinks appeared genuine.
“These days, you have to be very careful about where you buy your drinks. Somebody can bring a carton of wine that looks exactly like the original, but you don’t know what is inside. Even the bottles and labels can deceive you.
“I cannot afford to buy something today and discover tomorrow that it is fake. If I sell it to somebody and the person has a problem, I will be the one to suffer the consequences,” the trader said.
Another dealer said some traders now avoid unfamiliar wholesalers, particularly those offering drinks at unusually low prices.
“You cannot just trust everybody because they are selling wine. Some people are only interested in making money. They don’t care whether what they are selling is genuine or not.
“Even when somebody brings a drink at a very attractive price, you have to ask questions. Sometimes, it is better to lose a business opportunity than to buy something that will bring trouble,” the trader said.
Traders Turn To Trusted Suppliers
The growing uncertainty has forced some dealers to change where and how they purchase their products.
Some traders said they now source wines and spirits from other markets and established distributors they consider more reliable, even when the products cost more.
One dealer said paying extra for supplies from trusted sources was preferable to risking a business built over several years.
“You may see a wine here that is cheaper, but what is the guarantee that it is original? I would rather buy from somewhere I know than take the risk of buying fake drinks and losing my customers,” the trader said.
Another trader raised concerns about the methods allegedly used by counterfeiters, including recycling original bottles and reproducing brand labels.
According to the dealer, some fake products are packaged so convincingly that even experienced traders struggle to identify them.
“Sometimes, you will look at the bottle and everything appears correct. The label is there, the cork is there and the packaging looks fine.
“But how do you know what they put inside? That is the problem. Unless you know the supplier very well, you cannot be completely sure,” the trader said.
NAFDAC Raids Expose Counterfeit Drinks Network
The concerns among Onitsha traders come amid several enforcement operations that have exposed illegal alcoholic beverage production and distribution activities in the South-East.
In December 2022, the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) confiscated counterfeit alcoholic drinks worth more than ₦1 million during separate operations in Onitsha and Aba markets.
The operation followed a petition by the Mowet-Hennessy Group over the alleged counterfeiting of its brands.
NAFDAC’s Deputy Director in the Directorate of Investigation and Enforcement, Dr Christiana Esenwah, said investigators discovered recycled bottles bearing the trademarks of original manufacturers.
She explained that counterfeiters allegedly removed original labels, refilled the bottles with other substances and used super glue to reseal the corks.
The agency recovered counterfeit Mowet and Hennessy drinks, empty bottles, corks and other packaging materials.
In October 2024, another operation exposed an illegal alcoholic beverage production facility on Onowu Street, off the Enugu-Onitsha Expressway.
The raid was conducted by a joint task force comprising the Operation Clean and Healthy Anambra Brigade and the Presidential Task Force Against Economic Sabotage and Oil Vandalism.
The Managing Director of OCHA Brigade, Celestine Anere, said more than 2,000 cartons of suspected counterfeit wines and packaged drinks were recovered, while seven suspects were arrested.
Investigators also discovered warehouses and shops allegedly converted into makeshift factories for producing, packaging and distributing fake beverages.
The facilities reportedly contained mixing tanks, improvised filters, empty bottles and other packaging materials.
Earlier, in March 2024, NAFDAC announced the discovery of illegal alcoholic beverage production facilities in Enugu and Imo states.
The agency’s South-East Zonal Director, Martins Iluyomade, said a facility in Ibagwa-Aka, Enugu State, was producing unapproved dry gin, while another operation in Ezinihitte, Mbaise, Imo State, was allegedly involved in counterfeiting popular wine and spirit brands.
The agency recovered suspected counterfeit drinks, bottles, corks, labels and unidentified substances.
More recently, in June 2026, the Anambra State Police Command announced the arrest of two suspects allegedly involved in producing and distributing adulterated alcoholic beverages.
Police spokesperson Tochukwu Ikenga said operatives recovered suspected adulterated spirits carrying registered brand names and chemicals allegedly used in their production.
The suspects reportedly led investigators to a mini-factory.
Fake Drinks: A National Problem
The problem extends beyond Onitsha and other parts of the South-East.
In December 2023, NAFDAC shut down the Eziukwu Market, popularly known as Cemetery Market, in Aba, Abia State, after discovering shops allegedly converted into factories producing counterfeit wines, spirits, soft drinks and other consumables.
The agency said products and materials worth more than ₦750 million were confiscated and destroyed, while 10 people were arrested.
NAFDAC Director-General, Professor Mojisola Adeyeye, disclosed that operatives raided more than 240 shops during the operation.
She described the counterfeiters as operating like a cartel, producing adulterated products under unhygienic conditions.
The crackdown continued in other parts of the country.
In April 2026, NAFDAC announced the discovery of two illegal alcohol production syndicates in Lagos State, with suspected counterfeit and adulterated products valued at approximately ₦350 million recovered.
In October 2026, the agency also intensified operations at the Lagos International Trade Fair Complex, where suspected counterfeit and illegally repackaged alcoholic beverages and related materials valued at more than ₦2 billion were reportedly seized.
These operations have highlighted the methods used by counterfeiters, including recycled bottles, imitation labels and unauthorised production facilities.
NAFDAC’s Spirit Drinks Regulations 2019 prohibit the manufacture, importation, distribution and sale of spirit drinks that have not been registered with the agency. The regulations also prescribe labelling requirements, including the declaration of actual alcohol content.
The Health Risks Behind Fake Wines
While counterfeit drinks threaten traders’ businesses and consumers’ confidence, health experts warn that the greatest danger is the possibility of poisoning.
Unlike genuine alcoholic beverages manufactured under regulated conditions, counterfeit products may contain unsafe ingredients, contaminated substances or industrial-grade alcohol.
One particularly dangerous substance is methanol, an industrial chemical that can cause severe poisoning when consumed.
Methanol poisoning can damage the optic nerve, cause blindness, trigger kidney complications and lead to death.
Symptoms may include headaches, dizziness, nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, blurred vision and difficulty breathing.
Medical practitioners warn that consumers should not assume an alcoholic drink is safe simply because it comes in an attractive bottle or carries the label of a popular brand.
They also caution that the appearance, smell and taste of a drink cannot reliably establish its chemical composition.
Anyone who develops symptoms such as severe headaches, vomiting, dizziness or visual disturbances after consuming a suspicious alcoholic beverage should seek immediate medical attention.
Health specialists have also called for stronger enforcement, public education and better monitoring of alcoholic beverage distribution networks.
They argue that authorities must go beyond destroying counterfeit products by identifying production facilities, tracing suppliers and prosecuting those responsible.
Can Onitsha’s Wine Market Regain Trust?
For legitimate traders in Onitsha, the growing counterfeit drinks problem threatens more than daily sales. It undermines the trust on which wholesale and retail businesses depend.
Dealers who once relied on established market relationships are increasingly questioning the authenticity of products supplied by other traders.
Consumers also face the challenge of distinguishing genuine beverages from counterfeit products, particularly when fake drinks are packaged to resemble established brands.
Although NAFDAC and other enforcement agencies have carried out several raids, the repeated discovery of illegal production facilities raises questions about the effectiveness of existing monitoring and enforcement measures.
Market associations, wholesalers and retailers also have a responsibility to identify suspicious suppliers and report illegal production activities.
Ultimately, the responsibility cannot rest entirely on consumers, especially when counterfeiters can reproduce original packaging and labels.
Until the supply chain is better monitored and those behind counterfeit production are brought to justice, buying a bottle of wine in Onitsha may remain a gamble.
The battle against fake wines is no longer just about protecting brands or traders’ profits. It is increasingly about restoring confidence in the market and protecting consumers’ lives.
