Glen’s Vodka: Fake on the right, original product on the left.

REVELLERS celebrating the New Year have been warned to watch out for deadly fake vodka being sold in the local area.

Party-goers are being asked to be vigilant after thousands of bottles of counterfeit vodka containing chemicals that could prove lethal have been discovered in several locations across the UK, including in South Wales. The Pembrokeshire Herald understands that high street retailers are now being alerted to the proliferation of fake drink on sale at bargain prices over the Christmas and New Year period.

The new warning comes after Trading Standards watchdogs seized 166 bottles of counterfeit vodka from three Luton shops.

And a raid on an illegal factory in The Midlands recently uncovered 20,000 empty bottles, filling equipment and empty cans of anti-freeze, according to police.

In Weston-super-Mare, fake bottles of Smirnoff found to contain a chemical used in anti-freeze were confiscated by the authorities.

In the Luton case, officers removed vodka branded Glen’s from shop shelves after noticing the label on the bottle said “Botteled” rather than “Bottled”.

Other vodka was found to have fake duty-paid labels. Three samples were found to contain dangerously-high levels of isopropanol, commonly used as an industrial solvent, and butanol which is used in paint remover.

A public health officer said: “Drinking these chemicals could cause serious illness or even death in extreme cases.

“Many unsuspecting consumers may think they are buying cheap duty-free alcohol, when they are actually buying fake and dangerous products.”

THE DANGERS

Properly produced and certified alcoholic drinks are made with ethanol – alcohol that’s safe to drink in moderation. But fake alcoholic drinks can be produced using other cheaper types of alcohol which can have serious adverse effects on your health.

Drinkaware’s Chief Medical Advisor Professor Paul Wallace explains: “Commonly used substitutes for ethanol include chemicals used in cleaning fluids, nail polish remover and automobile screen wash, as well as methanol and isopropanol which are used in antifreeze and some fuels. These other types of alcohol can produce similar effects to ethanol in terms of making you feel tipsy. But they are also potentially very dangerous.”

Drinking alcohol containing these chemicals can cause nausea and vomiting, abdominal pain, drowsiness and dizziness. Drinking it can lead to kidney or liver problems and even coma. Methanol, the substance which has been found in fake vodka can cause permanent blindness.

HOW TO SPOT FAKE ALCOHOL

Illegal: Vodka bottling plant in the Midlands

Jeremy Beadles, former Chief Executive of the Wine and Spirits Trade Association, believes most consumers won’t come across fake alcohol and says that it’s important to keep the problem in perspective. “The vast majority of alcohol in the UK is produced and sold legitimately,” he says. “Most pubs, corner shops, off licenses and other retailers are completely legitimate businesses and wouldn’t get involved with it.”

However, it’s important to know how to spot—and avoid—fake alcohol if you do come across it.

According to the Trading Standards Institute, people need to remember ‘the 4 Ps’: Place, Price, Packaging and Product.

1. Place: Make sure you buy from a reputable supermarket, off licence or shop. 2. Price: If a deal looks too good to be true, it most probably is. 3. Packaging: Look out for:

• Poor quality labelling, including things like spelling mistakes.
• UK duty stamp—spirits in bottles 35cl or larger and 30% ABV or higher have to have a duty stamp, which indicates that tax has either been paid or is due to be paid on the contents of the bottle. They’re usually incorporated into the label or stuck on the glass. If it’s not there, it’s illegal
• Properly sealed caps. If the seal is broken, don’t drink it. Even if it’s not illegal, it could have been tampered with.
• Fake bar codes. If you have an app on your mobile that scans bar codes, scan it and see if it’s listed as the correct product.

Product: Look out for fake versions of well-known brands and be wary of unusual brand names you haven’t seen before. Vodka, the most commonly counterfeited spirit, shouldn’t have any white particles or sediment in the bottle. If you see this, the vodka could have been diluted with tap water. If any alcohol tastes or smells bad, don’t drink it. Particularly look out for the smell of nail varnish.

If you come across what you think is fake alcohol contact the Pembrokeshire County Council trading standards team on 01437 764551.