Warning over fake vodka dangers

Genuine Glen's Vodka has distinctive embossed markings on the bottle

Fake vodka found in Surrey which led to two people needing hospital treatment after drinking it, has led to warnings from trading standards officers.

Officers said the counterfeit Glen's Vodka contained higher levels of methanol than normal.

Spokesman Peter Denard said he was "extremely concerned" that it was being sold and urged anyone who found any to contact the county council immediately.

He said an excess intake of methanol could cause poisoning.

He listed the symptoms as nausea and vomiting, abdominal pain, drowsiness and dizziness, blurred vision leading to blindness, and breathing difficulties.

And he added that symptoms of methanol poisoning could take several hours to develop, so anyone who may have drunk the counterfeit vodka should seek immediate medical advice.

Embossed markings

Genuine Glen's Vodka was only in bottles from Allied Glass Containers which have a small "AGC" logo on their base.

The real Glen's bottles also read "70cl 58mm C12173", embossed in the glass close to the base.

Mr Denard said that any bottle of Glen's Vodka without the two markings was counterfeit.

Counterfeit products found so far have displayed different codes.

The fake vodka appears to have self-adhesive labels, while the genuine product has a distinctive glue pattern on the back of the label resulting in horizontal lines, he added.