The Federal Police are going after people illegally distributing unsafe bottled water, Capital learned.
Sources in the water industry told Capital that the federal police are collaborating with stake holders, and police in Oromia and Addis Ababa. They have been conducting investigations, mainly along the outskirts of the city.
According to sources, last week the Federal Police began prosecuting suspects at several production sites. They are sill in the process of arresting other perpetrators.
Capital previously reported some of the 80 water bottling companies around Addis Ababa are producing unsafe water. In addition to illegally packing the water, there is a chain between input and label producers and distributors. In their annual meeting of the Ethiopian Bottled Water and Soft Drinks Manufacturing Industries Association (EBWSDMIA) the issue was hotly debated.
Assembly participants said they have seen many illegal bottlers operating on the outskirts of Addis Ababa. Not only are they using below standard plastic packaging, they are also putting not-potable water into the bottles.
Association leaders told members they are following the case with federal, city and regional security forces. The assembly leaders of EBWSDMIA alerted bottlers to follow their sales and marketing staff who might be working in cahoots with fake water producers.
Ashenafi Merid, General Manager of EBWDMIA, declined to give details about the Federal Police’s latest mission. “I can’t give details since the case is not finalized,” he told Capital.
Capital’s effort to get further information from the Federal Policy Public Relation division was unfruitful.
The association, which recently merged with soft drink and juice packing association has more than 100 members with over 50,000 employees.