£40,000 worth of illegal alcohol seized in year
More than £40,000 worth of illegal alcohol – including some with dangerously high levels of chemicals – was seized by trading standards bosses in Sandwell last year alone, figures show.
A total of 23 shops were issued with a caution and two shops had their licences revoked after 74 businesses were visited.
Some of the alcohol seized contained dangerous levels of methanol and was unfit for human consumption. Sandwell Trading Standards took part in a joint operation last year with 13 other West Midlands councils along with revenue and customs and the police to tackle the sale of illegal alcohol.
In total 879 business premises were visited by the Central England Trading Standards Officers, and around £150,000 worth of illegal alcohol was seized. Of this, nearly 27 per cent was seized in Sandwell. Two shops were found to be selling alcohol contaminated with high levels of methanol, a chemical used to make anti-freeze and some fuels. These were Costcutter in Old Hill, which had 183 bottles of illegal spirits, including non-duty-paid whisky and fake vodka, and Great Barr News on Cross Lane, which had 90 bottles of illegal whisky and vodka on its shelves.
Chairman of the licensing panel Councillor Peter Allen said: "It's important that we are fair to these businesses, but also fair to the community. So in a serious case like these two shops that sold counterfeit alcohol, we felt it was important to remove the licences."
