Russian Police Seize 26,710 Liters of Counterfeit Alcohol

The police officials in Russia’s city of Tyumen, in the southwest of the country, have recently discovered a railway carriage carrying 26,710 liters of counterfeit alcohol.

According to the Russian news portal Pravda.ru, the police detained 6,880 half-liter bottles of Gold of the Slavs vodka, 42,580 bottles of Pshenichnaya vodka and 1,980 liters of other alcoholic beverages. All bottles had fake excise labels. The cargo with counterfeit alcohol arrived in Tyumen from the Russian republic of North Ossetia-Alania.

According to the article, several years ago, Valentina P., a 46-year-old businesswoman from Russia’s Arkhangelsk Oblast, in the northwest of the country, had a hard time proving that she had not been deliberately selling large quantities of counterfeit alcohol and that one of her suppliers deceived her.

“I did not pay much attention to supplier’s documents and delivery notes, because I had been working with that firm for several years. Here is the first lesson for all those who want to have an honest business: always check all documents meticulously, even if you know your suppliers.”

She recommends that consumers buy alcohol at specialized spirit shops, since these stores are less likely to sell counterfeit drinks.

According to recent estimates, 50 percent of wine and 70 percent of cognac on the Russian market is counterfeit. Counterfeit alcohol is blamed for the deaths of thousands of people each year.

For more information, please contact Jelena Jankovic at our Balkan Regional Office.

Source: Russian news portal Pravda.ru