XN000022-1975-03-21 — Page 6

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FRIDAY, MARCH 21, 1975

ADULTERATED LIQUOR SEIZED BY PREVENTIVE SERVICE

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OFFICERS OF THE PREVENTIVE SERVICE THIS WEEK HAVE SUCCEEDED IN MAKING LARGE SEIZURES OF ADULTERATED LIQUOR AND SMASHING TWO SYNDICATES ENGAGED IN THE BOTTLING AND DISTRIBUTION OF THE LIQUOR TO OUTLETS IN HONG KONG.

INVESTIGATIONS WERE CARRIED OUT BY THE PREVENTIVE SERVICE FOLLOWING COMPLAINTS MADE BY MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC.

EARLIER IN THE WEEK, A COMPLAINT WAS RECEIVED THAT A MAN HAD SUFFERED FROM A STOMACII DISORDER AFTER DRINKING SOME CHINESE TYPE SPIRIT PURCHASED FROM A STORE IN SAN PO KONG. THE PREMISES WERE IMMEDIATELY SEARCHED AND 259 BOTTLES OF VARIOUS BRANDS OF CHINESE TYPE SPIRIT WERE SEIZED AND SUBSEQUENTLY FOUND TO BE ADULTERATED.

ENQUIRIES LED TO A FURTHER INVESTIGATION OF THE PREMISES OF A LIQUOR DEALER IN YUEN LONG WHERE ANOTHER 89 GALLONS AND 628 BOTTLES OF ADULTERATED CHINESE TYPE SPIRIT WERE SEIZED. ONE FEMALE HAS BEEN ARRESTED AND A MAN IS ASSISTING ENQUIRIES.

IT WAS LATER ESTABLISHED THAT THE ADULTERATED SPIRIT SEIZED WAS IN FACT RECTIFIED ALCHOHOL, CONTAINING TRACES OF PYRIDINE WHICH CAN BE INJURIOUS TO HEALTH.

MORE RECENTLY, ANOTHER MEMBER OF THE PUBLIC COMPLAINED THAT A BOTTLE OF PORT WINE PURCHASED FROM A STORE IN SHAMSHUIPO DID NOT APPEAR TO BE GENUINE. INVESTIGATION ON THIS RESULTED IN THE SEIZURE OF 1,029 QUART BOTTLES OF PORT WINE, ALL BELIEVED TO BE ADULTERATED.

THE CONTENTS OF THE SUSPECT BOTTLE, LABELLED AS AUSTRALIAN PORT WINE, WERE CERTIFIED ON ANALYSIS BY THE GOVERNMENT CHEMIST TO CONTAIN A SUFFICIENT PERCENTAGE OF METHYL ALCOHOL WHICH IS INJURIOUS TO HEALTH,

FOLLOWING THIS, AN INVESTIGATION WAS CONDUCTED AT THE PREMISES OF THE WINE RETAILER FROM WHOM THE BOTTLE OF WINE WAS PURCHASED AND ALSO AT THE PREMISES OF HIS SUPPLIER IN SHAMSHUIPO. THESE RESULTED IN THE SEIZURE OF 755 QUART BOTTLES OF VARIOUS BRANDS OF PORT WINE, ALL DELIEVED TO BE ADULTERATED,

OFFICERS FROM THE PREVENTIVE SERVICE ALSO VISITED 21 PREMISES ON HONG KONG ISLAND AND KOWLOON, SEIZING ANOTHER 274 BOTTLES OF ADULTERATED PORT WINE BEARING VARIOUS DRAND LABELS.

/A MAN IS

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