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Fatal beverages

85 cases of dangerous counterfeit alcohol poisoning, including 42 lethal, have been reported across Ukraine according to the latest updates from the State Food Safety and Consumers Protection Service of Ukraine (SFSCPS), as of 9:00 October 4, 2016. Such distressing outcomes were caused by consumption of counterfeit vodka and cognac. Most of victims were found in Kharkiv and Donetsk regions, slightly fewer cases of methanol poisoning were recorded in Zhytomyr, Mykolaiiv and Luhansk regions.

The law-enforcement bodies have arrested the main manufacturers of “lethal” vodka. As it turned out, the infringers bought pure alcohol and then carried out home production of counterfeit vodka and cognac, using the labels, glassware and paper packaging of several famous trademarks. Then, lethal surrogate under the logos of well-known brands got into the large-scale sales via retail networks or directly from the manufacturers’ premises. A pint of counterfeited product cost 25 UAH.

The police has seized another 4 tons of spirit from the clandestine “business” organizer. The “businessman” admitted that he had tested the counterfeit products on his friends. Although the latter complained of feeling sick after drinking, the “businessman”, who decided to make money on human lives, continued to produce and sell the surrogate.

A female seller who cooperated with the said dealer was selling the counterfeit alcohol in her shops network and to resellers. It has been established, that 3 tons of counterfeit still got into the free market, so for the time being the police is inspecting retail facilities in order to seize dangerous alcoholic beverages, as well as appealing to the citizens to refrain from drinking alcohol.

In order to prevent occurring of further incidents and sale of dangerous counterfeit alcohol products to the consumers, the central executive bodies and regional state administrations are taking urgent measures to strengthen the fight against illegal production and sale of food products, in particular alcoholic beverages.

SFSCPS is also appealing to the citizens not to buy and consume alcohol of unknown origin under any circumstances. Such “products” can cause grave, often irreversible disorders leading to death.

According to the National Police of Ukraine and SFSCPS web-sites

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