XN000022-1974-12-20 — Page 8

FRIDAY, DECEMBER 20, 1974.

PUBLIC ADVISED TO EXERCISE CAUTION

WHEN PURCHASING LIQUOR

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MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC ARE URGED TO EXERCISE CAUTION WHEN THEY PURCHASE LIQUOR.

THE CALL FOLLOWED CLOSELY THE ARREST IN CAUSEWAY BAY ON WEDNESDAY (DECEMBER 18) OF A MAN WHO WAS FOUND TO HAVE IN HIS POSSESSION 22 QUART BOTTLES OF SUSPECTED ADULTERATED BRANDY.

ALSO SEIZED WERE COLOURING SOLUTIONS AND POWDERS, FALSE CAPSULES AND CARTONS. THE ADULTERATED BRANDY BORE THE LABELS OF SEVERAL WELL-KNOWN AND POPULAR BRANDS.

A SPOKESMAN FOR THE PREVENTIVE SERVICE SAID: THIS TYPE OF ILLEGAL ACTIVITY IS LIKELY TO BECOME MORE PREVALENT WITH THE ADVENT OF COOLER WEATHER AND THE APPROACH OF THE FESTIVE SEASONS AND THE SUBSEQUENT RISE IN THE CONSUMPTION OF EUROPEAN LIQUOR.

+EXPERIENCE HAS SHOWN THAT ADULTERATED LIQUOR CONTAINS A PROPORTION OF GENUINE BRANDED LIQUOR ADULTERATED FOR THE MOST PART WITH CHEAPER AND INFERIOR BRANDS OR WITH WATER AND ALCOHOL COLOURED TO RESEMBLE THE GENUINE ARTICLE.+

THE SPOKESMAN ADDED THAT ADULTERATED LIQUOR WAS INVARIABLY CONTAINED IN GENUINE BOTTLES OBTAINED FROM VARIOUS SOURCES AND THE LEAD CAPSULES, HAVING BEEN EXPERTLY REMOVED AND REPLACED AFTER THE ADULTERATING OF THE LIQUOR WERE ALSO, FOR THE MOST PART, GENUINE.

IT IS NOT UNCOMMON, HOWEVER, FOR BOTH CAPSULES AND LABELS TO BE COUNTERFEIT. IN SUCH CASES, LABELS AND CAPSULES CLOSELY RESEMBLE THE GENUINE ARTICLES ALTHOUGH CLOSE COMPARISON BETWEEN THE GENUINE AND FALSE BOTTLES WILL DISCLOSE SOME DISCREPANCIES SUCH AS BLURRED LINEAR OUTLINES, UNEVEN CAPSULE STAMPS OR PICTORIAL OR PRINTING ERRORS.

THE SPOKESMAN SAID THAT PURCHASERS SHOULD BE ALERTED BY ANY OFFER OF SALE AT REDUCED PRICES AND PURCHASE ONLY FROM GENUINE SOURCES.

ANY SUSPICION THAT LIQUOR MIGHT BE ADULTERATED SHOULD BE REPORTED TO ANY OFFICER OF THE PREVENTIVE SERVICE OR ALTERNATIVELY, IN WRITING TO THE PREVENTIVE SERVICE POST OFFICE BOX, P.0. BOX 1363, GENERAL POST OFFICE, HONG KONG.

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