21 bottles of 'toxic' fake vodka handed over to Gateshead Council

More than 20 bottles of 'toxic' counterfeit vodka have been handed in to Gateshead Council following a warning from the Food Standards Agency (FSA).

The organisation said a fake vodka, posing as the brand Glen's, had been found in circulation, containing an industrial solvent called isopropyl.

Symptoms of ingesting it can include nausea, alcohol poisoning, vomiting, coma or even death in the most severe cases.

Within Gateshead, 21 bottles had been voluntarily surrendered.

A spokesperson for Gateshead Council said: “Our priority is protecting the public and making sure that people are aware that there is a counterfeit product in circulation which could cause harm if consumed. We also make sure that people know how and where to report any counterfeit product.

“We have had 21 bottles voluntarily surrendered to us from across Gateshead.”

How do I spot bottles of counterfeit alcohol?

The FSA says members of the public should look out for any bottles with no laser-etched lot code between the rear label and the base, as these are likely to be fraudulent.

Vodka containing isopropyl will also have a strange smell and a different taste to real vodka.

Anyone in possession of a counterfeit bottle should contact their local authority.

Figures from Drinkaware show that 552 people died of alcohol poisoning across the UK in 2020.

A report from Gateshead's director of public health Alice Wiseman found that a collective 13,333 years of potential life had been lost due to alcohol-related conditions in the borough alone.

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