Police bust illegal sites destroying beverage bottles, crates in Anambra
Police, Beer Sectoral Group Raid Illegal Recycling Factories in Anambra
The Beer Sectoral Group (BSG), a member of the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria, in collaboration with the Nigeria Police Force, has raided several factories in Anambra State and surrounding areas over the alleged destruction of returnable packaging materials.
During the operation on Thursday, authorities apprehended several individuals accused of crushing returnable glass bottles and shredding plastic crates belonging to beverage manufacturing companies.
Crackdown on Illegal Recycling
Speaking on the development, Executive Secretary of the Beer Sectoral Group, Abiola Laseinde, said the raids were based on credible intelligence aimed at dismantling illegal disposal, theft, and unauthorised recycling operations.
According to her, investigations revealed that factory operators were deliberately destroying returnable packaging materials for resale as raw materials, leading to significant financial losses for beverage companies.
“We identified multiple locations in the South-East where bottles and crates are being crushed for resale as raw materials,” she said.
Laseinde explained that large quantities of company-owned packaging assets had been diverted from legitimate circulation into informal recycling networks, undermining the industry’s circular packaging model.
Economic and Environmental Concerns
She described the practice as criminal and a form of economic sabotage, noting that the affected bottles and crates remain the property of beverage companies that have invested heavily in sustainable packaging systems.
“These Returnable Packaging Materials (RPMs) are company-owned assets designed for multiple reuse cycles and form a critical part of sustainability, cost-efficiency, and product quality systems. It is a criminal activity to destroy them,” she said.
Beyond asset losses running into millions of naira, Laseinde warned that the illegal activities pose broader risks, including:
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Supply chain disruptions
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Increased operational costs
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Environmental hazards from unsafe recycling practices
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Threats to public safety
Call for Public Vigilance
The BSG said it had formally engaged security and regulatory agencies through petitions and intelligence-sharing before the enforcement action.
Laseinde urged those involved in the practice to desist, warning that offenders would be prosecuted in accordance with the law.
She also called on members of the public to remain vigilant and report suspicious activities either to the police or through the consumer care lines of beverage companies.
Authorities say investigations are ongoing.