Operatives of the Nigeria
Police Force, Anambra State Command, in collaboratioon with beverage manufacturing companies, have raided several illegal facilities in Onitsha, Anambra State, arresting individuals allegedly involved in the destruction of returnable packaging materials such as glass bottles and plastic crates belonging to beverage producers.
The Director-General of the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN), Mr. Segun Ajayi-Kadiri disclosed that the operation followed credible intelligence gathered by the police in partnership with member companies of the association.
According to him, the raid targeted illegal factories engaged in the theft, destruction, and unauthorised recycling of returnable packaging materials belonging to beverage manufacturers.
Ajayi-Kadir explained that the association was alerted by some of its members who discovered that certain operators were deliberately destroying returnable glass bottles and plastic crates for resale as raw materials, resulting in millions of naira in losses for the affected companies.
He noted that MAN subsequently engaged security and regulatory agencies through formal petitions and intelligence sharing to ensure lawful intervention aimed at curbing the illegal activities, recovering company assets, and dismantling the unauthorised recycling operations.
The MAN Director-General said investigations by the police uncovered several illegal locations across the South-East where bottles and crates belonging to beverage companies were being crushed and shredded for resale as raw materials.
He added that significant quantities of the packaging materials were being diverted from legitimate distribution channels into informal recycling networks.
Ajayi-Kadir further revealed that in many cases, reusable bottles were intentionally broken while plastic crates were deliberately destroyed, actions he said undermine the circular packaging system adopted by beverage manufacturers.
He described the police raid as the result of sustained collaboration and intelligence-led investigations, noting that the operation represents a decisive step toward protecting legitimate businesses, safeguarding environmental standards, and deterring further illegal practices.
Describing the act as criminal and a form of economic sabotage,
Ajayi-Kadir emphasised that the returnable packaging materials remain the property of beverage companies which have invested heavily in them as part of sustainable packaging initiatives.
He warned individuals involved in the illegal trade to desist, stressing that the association would continue to work closely with law enforcement agencies to ensure offenders are prosecuted.
Ajayi-Kadir also pointed out that beyond the direct financial losses, the activities of such operators pose wider risks to businesses, including supply chain disruptions, increased operational costs, environmental hazards from unsafe recycling practices, and potential threats to public safety.
“These Returnable Packaging Materials are company-owned assets designed for multiple reuse cycles and form a critical component of manufacturers’ sustainability, cost-efficiency, and product quality systems. Destroying them is a criminal act,” he said.
He called on relevant government agencies to intensify efforts against the illegal diversion and destruction of returnable packaging materials outside the established value chain.
Ajayi-Kadir also urged members of the public to remain vigilant and report suspicious activities related to the practice to the police or through the consumer care channels of beverage companies.
For several years, beverage manufacturers in Nigeria have continued to grapple with the challenge of illegal disposal, theft, and unauthorised recycling of their returnable packaging materials, a development industry stakeholders say has continued to threaten business sustainability.