Fake vodka that can cause ‘blindness or death’ being sold in the UK

Drinkers in Hull, East Yorkshire, have been urged not to buy a particular brand of vodka called Radanoff.

Dozens of bottles containing the fake booze have been pulled from shelves after they were discovered on sale in off-licenses across the city.

Hull City Council has warned that the “deadly” counterfeit could contain industrial-strength alcohol that could be “very dangerous” if consumed.

“If you spot Radanoff vodka for sale, do not buy or drink,” a council spokesperson exclaimed.

“Tests are still being carried out on the bottles seized and, until those are complete, there’s no way of knowing what’s in the bottles.

“It could contain industrial alcohol, which can cause blindness or death.”

The council added that bottles removed from shelves in the city were found to have no customs duty stamp and the barcode branded did not link to a real product.

The Local Government Association (LGA) recently set out a warning after consumers suffered seizures at the hands of fake vodka.

In recent months, some vodka bottles were found in shops and even pubs, containing industrial-strength levels of alcohol – lead to vomiting, permanent blindness, kidney or liver problems and, in extreme cases, death.

The LGA, which represents 370 councils in England and Wales, is now urging shoppers to look out for tell-tale signs that bottles are fake.

These include unfamiliar brand names, crooked labels, spelling mistakes, discounted prices which are “too good to be true”, and different fill levels in bottles of the same brand.

Those who have consumed fake alcohol are encouraged to seek medical treatment and to report the incident to an environmental health officer.

Fake alcohol has economic consequences too, as it is thought that the fraud costs the UK £1bn a year.