Gatecrasher Ltd has been hit with over £7000 of fines after being found guilty of selling large quantities of fake ‘vodka’.
Fake vodka being sold by Gatecrasher’s club Bed in Leeds has been seized by Trading Standards. The brand has been hit with a fine of £5000, with costs of £2095.67, by Leeds Magistrates Court. West Yorkshire Trading Standards visited the brands bar Bed, on the night of 11th September 2012 after complaints that the premises were selling counterfeit vodka. The night in question was a student freshers event and the officers found 656 litres of the industrial vodka in the premises.
The really shocking thing about this - is what was found in the ‘vodka’. A West Yorkshire Public Analyst tested the substance and found isopropanol, tertiary butanol and chloroform all of which are not found in standard vodka. Unsurprisingly, this was West Yorkshire Trading Standards biggest seizure of fake alcohol to date. It was revealed that the head office of Gatecrashers Clubs and Bars Ltd acquired the drink as a “cash deal” through a broker. The case against the supplier was adjourned until 13th September 2013.
Councillor Val Slater, Chair of the Trading Standards Committee, commented on the case: “I am astounded that a nightclub operator could have such scant regard for public safety by buying drink in this manner. It is fortunate that the manager acted quickly and no-one was harmed. Adequate checks were not carried out on the product before it was put on sale and the unusually low price and basic packaging should have raised suspicions. Fake alcohol is a growing problem and the public should be on their guard because of its potentially toxic nature. If they have genuine concerns regarding the alcohol being sold in bars or shops I would urge them to contact the Citizens Advice Helpline 08454 04 05 06.”
You can stay ahead of the pirtaes by watching this video below of how to spot fake alcohol.