NAFDAC Shutdown Popular Food Outlet, Chocolate Royale In Lagos

Operations of a Lagos-based popular multinational food outlet, Chocolate Royale, have been shut down by the National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) for storage of expired food ingredients and other “unethical practices.”

It was learnt that the agency sealed off the company after being tipped off that it engages in illegal importation and using expired ingredients and food products to prepare food and confectionaries for unsuspecting customers.

NAFDAC announced that it closed down the company’s facilities at Plot 267A Etim Inyang Crescent and the Managing Director’s residence on No 1, Karimu Kotun Street, all in Victoria Island, Lagos.

The multinational outlet was also accused of operating illegal cold-rooms at their Managing Director’s resident where large quantities of various expired and spoilt food ingredients worth millions of naira were discovered.

According to the Director, Investigation and Enforcement of NAFDAC, Kingsley Ejiofor, some top officials of the company were also arrested for wilful obstruction of NAFDAC operatives during the raid which lasted over for more than nine hours.

Ejiofor said, “the suspects will be interrogated, while the products will be sampled and taken to the laboratory for analysis, where the labels and contents will be properly analysed. And at the end of the day when the results are out, that will determine the next of action.”

He said the company will remain closed until investigations are concluded.

NAFDAC’s Director-General, Dr. Paul Orhii who inspected the seized products stated that asides the fact that the products are expired, they were not registered by NAFDAC therefore should not have come into the country in the first place.

Chocolate Royale is owned by Lebanese business mogul, Amin Moussalli who also owns broadcast stations; Cool Fm, Nigerian Info Fm, Wazobia Fm, Cool TV, Wee TV and Wazobia TV among other business interests in Nigeria.