The Nigeria Police Force, in collaboration with Beverage manufacturers, stormed a number of illegal sites in Onitsha, Anambra State, and its environs, and apprehended some persons for destroying returnable packaging materials, including glass bottles and plastic crates belonging to various beverage manufacturing companies.

The Director -General of Manufacturers Association of Nigeria, Mr. Segun Ajayi-Kadir, explained that the police, working with member companies, acted on credible intelligence and stormed the factories to crack down on illegal disposal, theft, and unauthorised recycling of the returnable packaging materials of the affected companies, notably returnable glass bottles and plastic crates.

Mr. Ajayi-Kadir noted that the association was alerted by its members that owners of these untoward factories were involved in destroying returnable packaging materials for reuse, thereby causing the businesses to lose millions of naira in investments.

He stated that the group had engaged relevant security and regulatory authorities through formal petitions and intelligence-sharing, seeking lawful intervention to curb the illegal practices, recover company assets, and dismantle unauthorised recycling operations.

According to him, member companies identified multiple illegal locations in the South-East where they crush our bottles and crates for resale as raw materials.

He added that investigations by the police had revealed that significant quantities were being diverted from legitimate channels into informal recycling networks.

He also disclosed that, in several instances, reusable bottles were deliberately broken and crates were intentionally shredded for sale as raw materials, undermining the beverage companies’ circular packaging model.

“The recent raid is the outcome of sustained engagements and intelligence-led investigations and represents a decisive step by authorities to protect legitimate business operations, uphold environmental standards, and deter further illegal activity”, he said.

He described the act as criminal and a serious economic sabotage, noting that these assets remain the property of beverage companies that have invested heavily in these sustainable packaging materials to protect the environment.

He warned those involved in the act to desist, as the Association will continue to collaborate with law enforcement agencies to ensure that offenders are held liable and made to face the wrath of the law.

He stressed further that, beyond the asset loss, the activities of these individuals pose significant risks to businesses, including supply chain disruptions, increased operational costs, environmental risks arising from unsafe recycling practices, and threats to public safety.

“These Returnable Packaging Materials (RPMs) are company-owned assets designed for multiple reuse cycles and form a critical part of their sustainability, cost-efficiency, and product quality systems. It’s a criminal activity to destroy them”, he added.

He urged the relevant government agencies to move against the illegal destruction and diversion of returnable packaging material outside the value chain and encouraged the public to remain vigilant and report any suspicious activity of this nature to the police or call the consumer care lines of the beverage companies.

Over the years, beverage companies have been contending with a sustained challenge involving illegal disposal, theft, and unauthorised recycling of their returnable packaging materials.