The National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) has uncovered a warehouse where large quantities of suspected counterfeit Parago candies were allegedly concealed beneath tarpaulins and inside cartons labelled as different products.

The discovery was captured in a video showing NAFDAC officials inspecting the facility and uncovering what appeared to be an attempt to conceal the identity of the products through misleading packaging and storage arrangements.

During the inspection, one of the officials expressed surprise after discovering Parago candies inside cartons bearing the label “Toy with Candy”, suggesting that the products had been repackaged or stored in containers carrying a different product description.

“Imagine what we are discovering here in another carton. This same Parago being concealed in a different carton,” the official said while displaying the products.

Pointing to one of the cartons, the official further explained that although its exterior carried the inscription “Toy with Candy”, the contents were identified as Parago.

The inspection also revealed a large quantity of the suspected counterfeit candies concealed beneath a tarpaulin. An official who examined the covered products said the entire section was filled with Parago candies.

“This entire tarpaulin is filled with the products. It has been concealed and it is fully Parago that is in here,” the official stated.

In another part of the facility, NAFDAC officials reportedly discovered cartons identified as the original Parago packaging inside a store designated for keeping rice.

Describing the finding, an official said the facility was supposed to serve as a rice warehouse but had also been used to conceal the candy products.

“This is the original carton of the Parago that was concealed in a store that has rice. This is supposed to be a rice warehouse but here they concealed Parago,” the official said.

The discoveries point to multiple concealment methods allegedly used to keep the suspected counterfeit products away from immediate detection, including the use of unrelated packaging and storage spaces.

NAFDAC has not confirmed whether the products have undergone laboratory testing, whether any arrests have been made or if investigations have identified the source and intended distribution channels of the suspected counterfeit candies.

There are concerns about the possible circulation of counterfeit confectionery products and the challenges facing efforts to protect consumers from unapproved or potentially unsafe goods.

Candies and other confectionery products are widely consumed, particularly by children, making regulatory oversight of their production, packaging, storage and distribution important to public health.

NAFDAC has recently been sustaining its market surveillance and enforcement against individuals and businesses involved in the production, importation or distribution of counterfeit regulated products.

Under its regulatory mandate, NAFDAC is responsible for controlling and regulating the manufacture, importation, exportation, distribution, advertisement and sale of food and other regulated products in Nigeria.

The agency is expected to establish the full circumstances surrounding the discovery, the status of the recovered products and any enforcement measures taken against those involved.