Belarus deluged with dangerous fake alcohol from Russia

The Belarusian Interior Ministry says it knows why the sales of vodka have fallen in shops.

Sales declined by 10% in 2014 and by 26.2% in the first quarter of 2015, but people didn't begin to drink less, according to official statistics. The reason is huge supplies of counterfeit alcohol from Russia, onliner.by reports.

In 2014, police seized more than 260,000 litres of spirit and alcohol-containing liquids that were sold illegally. More than 525,000 litres of alcohol mostly of Russian origin have been seized in the first five months of 2015. Specialists of the economic crime department of the Interior Ministry estimate the illegal alcohol market at $200 million a year.

Officers of the economic crime department of the Interior Ministry and economic crime department of the Hrodna regional police with assistance of their Russian colleagues busted a fake alcohol ring. Trucks driven by unemployed local residents and drivers of various private firms carrying large lots of Russian vodka “Belaya Berioza”, “Tsarskaya Okhota”, “Divnaya Berioza” as well as more expensive alcohol beverages (whiskey, cognac, brandy, etc.) without Belarusian excise stamps were detained in the Hrodna region several times.

Officers of the economic crime department found out that a native of the Caucasus region residing in Moscow was involved in selling large lots of counterfeit alcohol. He stored beverages in the town of Mytishchi near Moscow. The Belarusian police informed their Russian counterparts, who confirmed the information. Four warehouses with more than 0.5 million of bottles of alcoholic beverages were found. It is the biggest lot in the past year.

The examination showed that bottles with counterfeit alcohol had fake excise stamps that were printed with an ordinary colour printer. Experts of the Russian Federal Service for Alcohol Market Regulation say the “confiscated alcohol is dangerous to life and health”.

A criminal case was opened against the man. The investigation continues.