12,000 litres of fake vodka is found at still
An illicit vodka still was set up in the West Midlands to make thousands of litres of fake booze that was potentially dangerous if drunk, a court was told.
A raid found 12,000 litres of fake Arctic Ice vodka at the still, which would have been sold at £45 a case, producing a potential profit of up to £137,000.
Three Black Country men have admitted the attempted evasion of excise duty at Birmingham Crown Court.
The court heard the still cost around £45,000 to set up in an industrial unit at Brewery Street, Aston, Birmingham.
It was shut down by Revenue and Customs investigators two weeks after the rental agreement on the premises had been signed, prosecutor Mr Daniel White said.
He added: "It had all the equipment needed to produce and bottle Arctic Ice vodka. There were 12,000 litres of illegally produced vodka on which £137,000 duty would have been evaded. It was not suitable for human consumption."
Michael Woodlock arrived at the premises in his Mercedes with Gavin Berrow and Alex Rollason as the still was being raided on July 19 last year, the court heard.
Woodlock, aged 52, from from Greswold Street, West Bromwich, admitted being paid £400 a week to find a suitable site for the still, set it up and organise paperwork, the court heard.
Berrow, 42, of Amblecote Road, Brierley Hill, had been paid £200 a time to deliver equipment while Rollason, aged 19, from Halesowen Road, Old Hill, had been an odd job man, the court heard. All three were remanded on unconditional bail until January 18.
The raid on the still came days after five people had been killed in a blast at an illegal vodka factory in Lincolnshire. There is no suggestion that there was any link between the two.
