Warning issued after fake vodka found on sale in North Lanarkshire
Customers complained their drinks smelled of nail varnish remover
North Lanarkshire Council and Food Standards Scotland are warning of a discovery of fake vodka on sale in the area.
It came after a member of the public reported that the product they had purchased smelled of nail varnish remover.
More than 40 bottles of counterfeit vodka, falsely labelled as Glen’s, were recovered at a shop in Coatbridge over the weekend.
Food standards bosses are warning of the dangers associated with consuming counterfeit alcohol products and has urged customers to take extra caution when purchasing products.
Health risks
Ron McNaughton, head of the Scottish food crime and incidents unit at FSS, said: “Drinking these types of products presents a huge risk to health.
“The labelling, the look of the packaging and the smell can suggest something’s not right.
When you buy counterfeit alcohol you have no way of knowing what ingredients it contains and how strong it is, which could lead to serious illness and intoxication following one or two drinks.”
North Lanarkshire Council responded immediately after being alerted to the discovery but are warning that more counterfeit products could be in circulation.
Shelves cleared
Councillor Helen Loughran, convener of the environment and climate change committee at North Lanarkshire Council, said: “This was a significant discovery by officers from a retail premises in Coatbridge, who acted quickly to remove the fake products from sale.
“Our environmental health and food safety officers remain vigilant to the potential issue of counterfeit alcohol within North Lanarkshire to protect public health.’’
The council are encouraging anyone who has any information in relation to counterfeit alcohol to contact the Scottish Food Crime Hotline on 0800 028 7926.