Blindness Warning After Illegal Booze Bust

People are being told to keep away from cheap booze after police uncovered an illegal alcohol factory which may have sold counterfeit and potentially "toxic" vodka.

Trading Standards urged drinkers to avoid any unusually cheap alcohol, warning it can pose serious heath risks, including blindness.

Authorities seized some 130,000 litres of the suspected illegal alcohol from an industrial unit in Widnes, Cheshire, on Friday following an investigation coordinated by Cheshire Police, HM Revenue and Customs and Trading Standards.

The haul was worth £1.7m in unpaid duty, HMRC said.

Suspected counterfeit vodka labels and bottle tops were also discovered during the raid.

It is unclear how many fake bottles may have been sold to the public.

Deana Perchard, principal trading standards officer at Halton Council and Trading Standards North West said: "Fake vodka can contain high levels of methanol which can cause blindness and drinking it is a serious health risk.

"If you are offered extremely cheap vodka it will probably be illegal."

Warning signals include spelling mistakes on labels, a strange smell of varnish and bottles not filled to the same levels.

Trading Standards is asking anyone with information to contact  03454 040506.

Posted in: UK