The Intellectual Property Office has revealed that UK Trading Standards, working with international enforcement agencies, seized nearly 2,500 litres of fake wine and spirits as part of a pre-Christmas enforcement campaign. An illegal distillery making ‘vodka’ from screenwash was also closed down.
The crackdown on fake alcohol was part of an international campaign against fake and substandard food products, Operation Opson, involving more than 50 countries, organised by Interpol and Europol.
The seizures comprised of more than 1,800 litres of illegal wine, as well as in excess of 600 litres of spirits and ‘unidentified’ alcohol. This represents a significant increase in UK activity, from one seizure of spirits in 2013/14 to 12 seizures in 2014/15.
Minister for Intellectual Property, Baroness Neville-Rolfe underlined the government’s commitment to cracking down on crime that harms proper businesses and can pose a real threat to public safety. She said: “This year’s Operation Opson results show the continued strength of the UK’s enforcement regime, led by Trading Standards and coordinated by the Intellectual Property Office, in protecting consumers and businesses.”
The dangers posed by illicit alcohol are clear. In 2012, methanol poisoning from fake vodka resulted in the deaths of 50 people in the Czech Republic. Retailers should only buy alcohol from trusted sources, and raise any concerns they have with the police.
