Forty Eight (48) year-old Yaw Nambu Dosu alias Joe of Nambu Distilleries has been arrested by the Ashanti Regional Police Command for producing foreign alcoholic drinks suspected to be harmful for consumption and without authorization.

The Ashanti Regional Police Commander COP Ken Yeboah briefing media in Kumasi said the police received complaint from the International Federal of Spirit Producers (I.F.S.P) to the effect that some people were producing foreign alcoholic drinks.

According to COP Ken Yeboah, the complaint led police to the residence of the suspect Yaw Nambu Dosu who owns Nambu Distilleries company located at Ejisu.

The Police retrieved 48 boxes of the suspected harmful alcoholic drinks after the search.

The foreign alcoholic drinks include Black Label, Red Label, Bacardi, Lion Aromatic Schnapps as well as Smirnof, Lord Jack, Lord Kingsley, Sir Edwards, Bony Black and among other assorted drinks.

“An investigations established that in the year 2017, suspect Yaw Nambu Dosu alias Joe applied to the Food and Drugs Authority to be mandated to produce Lion Bitters but it was denied. On July 30, 2017, the authority wrote back to the suspect explaining the reasons for their refusal to give him the license. Further investigation also revealed that the suspect having been denied the license rented an apartment at Ejisu near Anita Hotel junction where he went into production of both the foreign and local drinks as mentioned above without authorization,” COP Ken Yeboah explained.

COP Ken Yeboah added that the suspect however informed police during investigations that he is not in the business of counterfeiting these foreign trademarks alone but alleged one Mr. Kwofie based in Nungua a suburb of Accra as his accomplice.

‘Effort is being made to get Kwofie who is believed to be operating in Nungua, Accra or Aflao to assist in investigations,’ the regional police commander said.

He (suspect) mentioned that they have been in the illegal business for ten years adding that the market of his products target has been Accra, Kumasi and its environs.

The suspect also disclosed that the compositions of the drinks are ethanol, water and colour.

The bottles for the production of these drinks are sourced from those who go around picking and buying disposed bottles known as “Kollibar”.

Some of these bottles retrieved from his premises were empty used Black and Red Label bottles, Jack Daniels bottles among others.

The commander indicated that the content of the harmful alcoholic beverage will be sent for forensic analysis.

He advised the public to be circumspect when buying some of these foreign drinks and report any suspicious activities to these unlicensed distilleries to the police for prompt action.