Delta Police Bust Toxic 20-Year Fake Gin Operation

A major health crisis may have been averted in Delta State following the arrest of a 67-year-old woman, Lydia Osanebi, who allegedly spent two decades running an illegal distillery. Operating out of her residence in Ughelli, the suspect is accused of producing and bottling counterfeit dry gin laced with lethal industrial chemicals. The breakthrough came after a tactical raid by the Eagle Net Special Squad’s surveillance team, acting on intelligence that pointed to a sophisticated fraud operation hidden within a quiet neighborhood.

The raid, which unfolded at approximately 7:30 AM on December 14, 2025, targeted a property located on 14th Street in the Otor-Edor area of Ughelli. Upon executing a search warrant, detectives were met with a grim discovery: a domestic facility converted into a chemical mixing plant. Inside the premises, officers recovered an array of hazardous substances that have no place in human consumption, let alone the beverage industry.

Among the items seized were large containers of methanol, formalin, and cochineal, a type of carminic acid. While these chemicals have industrial and scientific uses, they are notoriously dangerous when ingested. Police also found more than sixty liters of already adulterated dry gin, alongside the specialized tools of the counterfeiting trade, including super glue, shot glasses, and a mountain of recycled bottles from popular commercial brands.

The Delta State Police Public Relations Officer, SP Bright Edafe, detailed the gravity of the find in a press briefing on Friday. He revealed that the suspect did not just stop at mixing the drinks; she had invested in the infrastructure of deception. Operatives recovered newly printed seals, counterfeit stickers, and packaging materials designed to make the toxic concoction indistinguishable from genuine products sold in supermarkets and bars across the state.

Perhaps the most startling aspect of the case is the suspect’s own confession. During interrogation, Osanebi reportedly admitted that she had been producing and repackaging these adulterated spirits for over twenty years. This admission suggests that for two decades, unsuspecting consumers have been ingesting a cocktail of industrial-grade toxins under the guise of their favorite local gin.

The medical implications of the operation are harrowing. Preliminary forensic investigations conducted by the police highlight that methanol—the primary ingredient found in the raid—is highly toxic to the human body. Medical experts warn that consuming methanol can lead to rapid organ failure, permanent blindness through the destruction of the optic nerve, comas, and ultimately, a painful death. Formalin, another chemical recovered, is more commonly used in mortuaries for the preservation of corpses.

The discovery has sparked an urgent inquiry into the distribution network established by the 67-year-old over the last two decades. The police are currently working to determine exactly where these bottles were sold and whether any wholesalers or retailers were knowingly complicit in the trade. Authorities are concerned that a significant amount of the toxic gin remains on the shelves of local kiosks and “paraga” stands in the Ughelli axis.

Local residents expressed shock at the news, with many describing the suspect as a quiet neighbor who kept mostly to herself. The fact that such a lethal enterprise could operate for twenty years without detection has raised questions about community vigilance and the regulation of local spirit production. The police have used this case to urge citizens to be more observant of unusual activities and chemical smells coming from residential buildings.

SP Edafe emphasized that the investigation is far from over. The command is intensifying its efforts to identify and arrest other individuals who may have assisted in the procurement of the industrial chemicals or the printing of the counterfeit seals. The suspect remains in custody as authorities prepare to file charges related to the production of poisonous substances and the endangerment of public life.

This crackdown is part of a broader initiative by the Delta State Police to sanitize the local food and beverage market from “merchants of death” who prioritize profit over human life. As the festive season approaches, the police have issued a stern warning to the public to verify the authenticity of any alcoholic beverages they purchase, noting that the price of a cheap drink could very well be one’s life.