Bars swap top shelf spirits for cheap counterfeits

The Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission (TABC) has uncovered a string of bars cheating customers by replacing top shelf spirit brands with cheaper substitutes.

The TABC found numerous bars replacing top shelf spirits with low-end brands

In April 2015, the TABC launched an operation called Operation Bottoms Up in order to verify alcohol served at licensed retailer and weed out those that substitute low-end alcohol for top shelf brands.

Undercover investigators visited 68 licensed premises across the state and ordered top shelf alcohol brands by name.

A total of 153 samples were collected for testing at the TABC laboratory, which revealed 40 samples from 21 of the 68 retailers contained substituted spirits instead of the high-end brands ordered by the investigators.

“TABC, along with our partners in the alcohol manufacturing industry, rely upon retailers to serve their customers in good faith,” said Dexter jones, TABC assistant chief of the audit and investigations division.

“Unfortunately, in a highly competitive market such as Texas, some retailers may act against the public interest while trying to prop up their bottom line.

“Texas consumers and visitors should have a high expectation that retailers are committed to fulfilling their responsibility to serve customers exactly what they order.”

TABC is currently working to file administrative notices against 14 licensed retailers, and investigations remain open on seven additional retailers.

Those found in violation of service could face administrative penalties including a fine and suspension of their liquor license.