THE sale of fake alcohol potentially containing anti-freeze could put thousands of risk of DEATH or BLINDNESS this New Year’s Eve.
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| NYE revellers are being urged to check their drink isn't counterfeit |
A stark warning has been issued over the sale of counterfeit booze after hundreds of thousands of litres were seized in the run-up to the festive season.
Some of the fake drinks seized contain lethal chemicals such as chloroform, which can induce comas, and isopropanol, commonly found in car screenwash and anti-freeze.
Ethyl acetate was also discovered in seize counterfeit booze. This chemical is found in glues, nail polish removers and cigarettes and can lead to organ damage.
Simon Blackburn, chairman of the Local Government Association's (LGA) Safer and Stronger Communities Board, said: "Everyone likes a bargain, especially at this time of year, but drinking cheap, fake alcohol could seriously harm your health and even kill you, so people should avoid it all costs.
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| Thousands of bottles of counterfeit alcohol were seized in the run up to Christmas |
"Trading Standards teams at councils across the country have been cracking down on businesses selling illegal, fake alcohol and we will continue to target rogue outlets.
"Some shopkeepers clearly have questions to answer about how these items arrive on their shelves. They need to think twice about stocking these products as we will always seek to prosecute irresponsible traders.
"Not only does fake alcohol present a significant danger to health, illegal sales undermine local businesses and threaten genuine jobs."
Aside from the deadly health risks, the LGA said alcohol fraud is reported to cost the UK a staggering £1billion a year in UNPAID tax.
There are many health dangers linked to drinking fake alcohol, some of which include vomiting, permanent blindness, kidney or liver problems and, in extreme cases, death.
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| Fake alcohol carries plenty of health warnings, including vomiting and even blindness |
The LGA is urging shoppers and those planning on getting merry over the New Year to look out for the tell-tale signs of fake alcohol.
Unfamiliar brand names, crooked labels, spelling mistakes and unusually low price are all warnings that you could be buying counterfeit booze.
People being served vodka in pubs and clubs should also check the smell, as fake vodka can often smell of nail varnish.
Officers seized a whopping 130,000 litres of counterfeit vodka from an illegal alcohol factory in Wigan, Cheshire in August.
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| Experts advise being vigilant against the tell-tale signs and to buy reputable brands |
The drink, which was worth around £1.7million in unpaid duty, could have made drinkers go blind.
Two bar owners in Consett, Durham, were fined £10,000 last month and ordered to pay £2,000 after being caught selling fake vodka.
Trading Standards seized more than 300 bottles, made from industrial alcohol unfit for human consumption.
In order to combat the dangerous growth of fake booze and alcohol fraud, a new government initiative, the Alcohol Wholesaler Registration Scheme, is being launched on January 1.
Anyone who thinks they may have bought a fake alcoholic drink is urged to contact their council immediately.
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