How Fake Brand Names Helped Ogun Shoe Factory Sell More, Suspects

The suspects arrested for making fake shoes at a factory in Makun, Sagamu, Ogun State, have admitted that using foreign brand names helped them get more customers and sell more than if they used Nigerian-made labels.

The Police Special Fraud Unit in Lagos shared this news on Wednesday. They released a statement after looking into the activities of Meibalun International Nigeria Limited. This company allegedly made and sold shoes with the names of well-known international brands without permission.

The suspects are Ojeleye Esther, Olulenu Adebola, Adewunmi Titilayo, and two Chinese nationals, Zhu Hai Chen and Zhou Hai Fen.

According to the police, the company claimed to be a manufacturer of Nigerian-made shoes, but they were actually producing footwear with names and trademarks of brands like Gucci, Nike, Timberland, Louis Vuitton, and Adidas.

The statement was signed by Police Public Relations Officer, DSP Ovie Ewhubare. It said that further investigation by the Stock Capital Market Fraud Section found some questionable financial activities in the company's operations.

The police alleged that customer payments were sent to private bank accounts instead of the company’s official account. This led investigators to look into who owned the accounts and how the money was used.

The statement noted, “Further investigation by the Stock Capital Market Fraud Section of the Unit revealed questionable financial practices within the company’s operations, as payments from customers were laundered into private bank accounts rather than the company’s designated corporate account, which prompted further financial tracing to establish the ownership, movement and utilisation of the proceeds of crime.

The suspects confessed that using fake foreign brand names helped them make more sales and get more customers than if they used Nigerian-made branding.

This confession helped the investigation team focus their efforts and highlighted the need to look closely at the commercial and financial systems supporting the operation.

The Commissioner of Police for the PSFU, Eloho Edwin Okpoziakpo, mentioned that the unit's job to fight financial crimes goes beyond just banking and investment fraud. It also includes other business practices that could harm the trust in the financial system.

He promised that the investigation would be done properly and follow legal processes. He added that anyone found guilty would face justice.