Food fraud teamwork comes to rescue of World Cup fans

Friday 11 June 2010

Financial support and advice from the Food Standards Agency has enabled Salford Trading Standards to seize 436 bottles of counterfeit and illicit alcohol in advance of the World Cup.

A five-day operation, partially funded by the Agency, was carried out across the city by the council, customs officers and the police and separate seizures were made in 25 out of 75 pubs and off licences that were raided.

Counterfeit alcohol is dangerous because it is sold without any of the safety checks that accompany legal food and drink production. This means there is no guarantee the product is what it says on the label. Trading standards officers found that some bottles contained excessive levels of methanol which can cause serious health effects including blindness.

Sarah Appleby, Head of Enforcement at the Food Standards Agency, said: 'I am delighted that our close work and financial assistance has helped Salford Trading Standards seize this illicit alcohol. The FSA is determined to stamp out food fraud so that consumers are not misled, and we are working very closely with local authorities to achieve this.'

The Food Standards Agency has resources available for local authorities to fight food fraud including financial support and expert advice. The Agency provided Salford Trading Standards with expert advice and has allocated £24,065 from its fighting fund to carry out the raids across Salford.

In September 2008 the Food Standards Agency helped Haringey council seize hundreds of bottles of illicit alcohol by providing intelligence through its cutting edge food fraud database.

The Agency is advising consumers to be extra vigilant and to be wary of lower-priced alcohol. Local authorities that are interested in finding out more about Agency support for their investigations into food fraud should contact the Agency’s food fraud team either by telephone on 0207 276 8077 or via email at foodfraud@foodstandards.gsi.gov.uk.