SON arrests expatriates changing products expiry dates

The Standard Organisation of Nigeria (SON) Enforcement Team has arrested two Pakistani Nationals and importers of consumables for changing manufacturing and expiry dates of already expired imported Fruit Juice in Lagos.

A statement from the organisation stated that the cartel allegedly brought in the consignments under false declaration as different products to deceive regulatory agencies and shortchange the government.

The statement indicated that the expatriates, Muhammed Ali and Naveed Akhtar, have been handed over to the Force Criminal Investigation and Intelligence Department of the Nigeria Police, Ikoyi.

SON revealed that items found in the Warehouse included expired imported Nesfruta Juice in different flavours, labels that were being used to change the dates, unlabelled basmati rice and some other consumables like bottled and plastic-packaged soft drinks.

The SON’s Assistant Director of Compliance, Mathias Makwe, who spoke on behalf of the SON’s Director General, Osita Aboloma, commended the informant and urged Nigerians to join the quality vanguard by providing useful information to regulatory and security agencies for prompt action.

Meanwhile, Akhtar said the expired consumables were meant for his personal consumption and that the falsified expiry date labels was to ease transportation of the products to his home in Ikeja. He further said the products got expired due to delays by the Nigeria Ports Authority.