Bootleg booze gangs prey on London’s poorest

Criminal gangs distilling and selling illegal alcohol in London are targeting the city’s poorest residents with potentially fatal spirits, an investigation has unearthed.

London’s poorest are being targeted by illicit alcohol gangs, an investigation has revealed

A BBC investigation claims to have infiltrated two separate groups distilling bootleg booze – one targeting people sleeping on the streets and another focusing on illegal immigrants.

According to BBC London’s Inside Out, one illicit still in west London was generating approximately £500 through selling spirits.

In total, the investigation uncovered eight illegal distilleries in the city and made aware of four more, the majority of which are often operating in deprived areas.

The production of illegal alcohol has been branded a “dangerous activity” by HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC).

“Where I come from, this is not against the law,” said Kostaz, from Romania, who operates a still in Southall. “You can make rum and sell it if you want. So we are just bringing the tradition here.”

Counterfeit spirits have frequently been discovered to contain chemicals used in anti-freeze and screen wash, which can cause blindness and even death, but have become a popular black market trade due to the low-costs of creating spirits.

It is illegal to distil and sell alcohol in the UK without a valid licence.

“The public health implications of counterfeit spirits are significant, and production of illicit alcohol is clearly a very dangerous activity,” HMRC said in a statement.

“As a result, there is a risk that drinking counterfeit spirit can lead to permanent blindness, liver failure, kidney failure and can ultimately lead to death.”

A sample of the illicit alcohol was analysed by Dr James Barker, from Kingston University’s School of Pharmacy and Chemistry, who concluded it could be toxic.

“People buying this don’t know what they are letting themselves in for,” he said. “If you drink too much of this stuff, you may never wake up.”

Counterfeit spirits have plagued the drinks industry for decades, killing citizens all around the world.

In May last year, more than 50 Kenyans died after drinking illegal alcohol, while last month in Russia the government slashed vodka prices by 16% in a bid to deter illicit alcohol production.