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67-Year-Old Delta Woman Arrested for Two-Decade-Long Fake Gin Production Using Toxic Chemicals

The Delta State Police Command has arrested a 67-year-old woman, Lydia Osanebi, in connection with a large-scale operation producing and packaging counterfeit and adulterated alcoholic drinks in the Ughelli area.

Acting on credible intelligence, operatives from the Eagle Net Special Squad and Ughelli Surveillance Team executed a search warrant at her residence on December 14, 2025. The raid uncovered a shocking operation that the suspect confessed had been running for over 20 years.

A Hazardous Production Site

The search revealed an extensive setup for producing fake liquor. Police recovered over 60 litres of suspected counterfeit and adulterated dry gin alongside all the materials needed to present it as genuine. 

Key items seized included:

*   Dangerous chemicals suspected to be methanol, formalin, and cochineal (carminic acid).
*   Empty bottles, newly printed seals, and packaging materials for various popular gin brands.
*   Super glue, stickers, and shot glasses used in the repackaging process.

Police spokesperson SP Bright Edafe emphasized the grave danger posed by the operation. "Preliminary investigation revealed that methanol, one of the recovered substances, is highly toxic and capable of causing severe health complications, including organ failure, permanent blindness, coma and death," he stated in a press release.

A Twenty-Year Confession and Ongoing Investigation

During interrogation, Lydia Osanebi voluntarily confessed to the long-running illegal business. She admitted to "producing and repackaging adulterated dry gin using recycled original bottles for over twenty (20) years," according to the police statement.

The investigation is now focused on determining the full scope of the distribution network and identifying any other individuals involved in the potentially deadly scheme. This arrest is part of a wider crackdown, as the Delta State Police Command also recently arrested a nursing mother for allegedly selling her two-month-old baby.


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