Lincoln shop loses licence after selling booze with 150,000 times the legal industrial alcohol limit

A Lincoln store has lost its license after selling booze with 150,000 times the legal industrial alcohol limit and ''unfit for human consumption.'''

Officers who raided Zabka on Portland Street in December seized more than 190 illegal medicine products, 62 bottles of non-duty paid alcohol and 5 bottles of illicit Krackoff Vodka.

The vodka was sent for testing and was found to contain 150,000 times more industrial alcohol than is legally permitted.

It is the first time this brand of vodka has been seized from a shop in mainland Britain. Lincolnshire Police are now working with the Food Standards Agency to trace its origins.

Last week, the case was sent to Lincoln City Council Licensing Sub-Committee for review and the store was stripped of its alcohol licence, subject to a 21-day appeal process.

Sergeant Kim Enderby from the Alcohol Licensing Department said, “The revocation of this Premises Licence sends a strong message from Lincoln City Council, that this sort of activity at licensed stores will not be tolerated.

"The fake vodka was unfit for human consumption. If anyone sees or has bought this particular product they should contact the police or trading standards.''

She added, detailing some of the owner’s claims: “The owner Mr Ali claimed all the alcohol was for personal use and that he did not know the medicines were illegal.

''He displayed a lack of knowledge of his responsibilities within the Licensing Act and the committee believed he presented a risk to promoting the Licensing Objectives.

"We remain committed to the disruption, investigation and prosecution of all criminal behaviour being conducted on our Licensed Premises.”