Authorities in Scotland have warned consumers to be on the lookout for counterfeit alcohol products. Food Standards Scotland (FSS) and North Lanarkshire Council recently found 40 bottles of counterfeit vodka, fraudulently labeled as Glen’s, at a shop in Coatbridge. The discovery was made after a public member reported that a product they had purchased smelled of nail varnish remover.
Officers from the council’s environmental health team and FSS have removed the bottles from shelves and samples have been sent for analysis. Ron McNaughton, head of the Scottish Food Crime and Incidents Unit at FSS, said drinking such products presents a health risk. “The labeling, 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,” he said. Anyone who believes they may have purchased counterfeit alcohol should contact their local council’s environmental health service or the Scottish Food Crime and Incidents Unit. From North Lanarkshire Council, Helen Loughran said: “This was a significant discovery by officers from 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.’�.