Wigan Council Trading Standards officers are advising people to be vigilant after counterfeit bottles of vodka seized in a recent raid were found to be unsafe.
Altogether nine 35cl bottles of fake Glens Vodka were discovered in an off-licence in Pemberton following a tip off from a member of the public.
To ensure members of the public recognise the counterfeits, officers are advising people to look at the label on the back of the bottle. The black ink on the label is slightly faded and the bar code numbers almost touch the bottom of the label.
“The vodka is made from poor quality alcohol intended only for industrial use,” says the council’s trading standards manager Julie Middlehurst.
Note the back of the bottle, around the barcode
“Results have shown it contains the chemical isopropyl which gives an odd taste. We’re concerned that these bottles contain 25 times the acceptable daily intake of isopropyl. Symptoms of isopropyl alcohol poisoning include flushing, headache, dizziness, nausea, vomiting, anaesthesia and coma, so if anybody shows any of these symptoms and suspect they have consumed dangerous vodka, they are advised to seek urgent medical attention.”
The public are advised to contact Trading Standards if they have bought Glens Vodka matching this description and suspect is it is fake.
Shop keepers are warned to only buy spirits from legitimate sources and are reminded that anyone found selling fake vodka could face prosecution.
Cllr Kevin Anderson, the cabinet’s champion for communities says: “Counterfeit alcohol is a growing problem. The alcohol is made by organised gangs with no regard to public safety. The sale of counterfeits also damages local trade and can lead to legitimate enterprises going out of business.”
The investigation continues.
