Thought the Black Label gave you a headache lately? - here's why!

[webfact]

Thought the Black Label gave you a headache lately? - here's why!

 

Image: Manager Online

 

HAT YAI: -- Police have busted what they said was the biggest fake whisky operation in the southern Thai town of Hat Yai.

 

A Malaysian man was caught red handed filling up bottles of "Johnny Walker Black Label" with a much cheaper brand that had been doctored to give it a similar taste and smell, reported Manager Online.

 

And the bottles came complete with tax strips and proper labels to complete a thoroughly professional looking job.

 

Caught was Chan Sion Heng, 35, who was filling up the bottles when the Crime Suppression Division arrived.

 

But while the rented depot was being fully checked the suspect's father, named as David, who was involved in the operation managed to flee the scene.

 

The CSD found more than 1000 empty bottles and boxes. They said that the premises were set up as a second hand bottle recycling depot to cover its real operation.

 

Bottles of "King Robert" whisky were bought at 2,400 baht a case.

 

These were then doctored to give the impression that they were the much more expensive Black Label and passed on for 5,500 baht a case.

 

The booze was made to order and there was no shortage of customers.

 

Police said it was the biggest operation of its kind in the Hat Yai, Songkhla area.

 

Two Malaysians were hired as lookouts to warn of raids, they said. The report did not indicate what had happened to these people.

 

The suspect was found to be on a blacklist as having committed the same crime multiple times before but had not mended his ways.

 

Now the enquiry is being expanded to find out who the customers are who ordered the fake booze.

 

Police said that the fake booze was dangerous and would "cause headaches".

 

Source: Manager Online

 

-- © Copyright Thai Visa News 2016-09-29

 

[hanssna]

Wondering who are the buyers ? Not the local 7/11 I suppose...

[ExpatOilWorker]

I will be surprised if that also doesn't happen to wine here.

[Brer Fox]

Back in May when the Prime Minister was on one of his globetrotting trips he stated while at the Thai Trade Centre in Los Angeles that "Thai people should adjust themselves to a new form of trade" and he encouraged product innovation.

This man has done no wrong and is simply following the PM's instruction to the letter. He is probably fearsome of the consequences if he does not adhere to the command of the Country's leader.

The proper authorities should at least check to see if he is paying his tax liabilities and if he is doing so then leave him in peace to do the type of innovation that Thais do best.

[HiSoLowSoNoSo]

Land of scams

[elgordo38]

1 hour ago, webfact said:

Police said that the fake booze was dangerous and would "cause headaches".

Yes and I am sure the tax people would complain bitterly about a loss of alcohol tax. That is one department that will leave no stone unturned.

[mesterm]

King Robert: Keep on Spinning 

[HoboKay]

I'll start worrying when Glenlivet supplies are faked.

[phantomfiddler]

I remember reading an article years ago stating that 70% of the spirits sold in liquor shops were fake, and that is before the bargirls do their watering down or lao khao substitures

[JAG]

39 minutes ago, Brer Fox said:

Back in May when the Prime Minister was on one of his globetrotting trips he stated while at the Thai Trade Centre in Los Angeles that "Thai people should adjust themselves to a new form of trade" and he encouraged product innovation.

This man has done no wrong and is simply following the PM's instruction to the letter. He is probably fearsome of the consequences if he does not adhere to the command of the Country's leader.

The proper authorities should at least check to see if he is paying his tax liabilities and if he is doing so then leave him in peace to do the type of innovation that Thais do best.

I rather suspect that the problem stems from his carelessness in paying his "informal tax liabilities "!

[JAG]

34 minutes ago, elgordo38 said:

Yes and I am sure the tax people would complain bitterly about a loss of alcohol tax. That is one department that will leave no stone unturned.

Incidentally,  I believe they disposed of the booze by dumping it in the sea, next to some rocks which were home to a seabird colony.

 

No tern was left unstoned! 

 

I'll get my hat....

[AlQaholic]

I only drink Tullamore Dew....

[Scotwight]

1 hour ago, ExpatOilWorker said:

I will be surprised if that also doesn't happen to wine here.

Wouldn't make sense.  You can buy the flavorings for any whiskey easily as they are used by home distillers.   Not so wine as there is no way to flavor it artificially.

[soalbundy]

7 minutes ago, Scotwight said:

Wouldn't make sense.  You can buy the flavorings for any whiskey easily as they are used by home distillers.   Not so wine as there is no way to flavor it artificially.

for wine you do as the Italians and Austrians did, use anti-freeze

[eliotness]

I bought a bottle of Talisker, my absolute favourite, from a market in Cambodia.  Got home, opened it, fake, yuck fake for sure, but the Thai family loved it ?

[IAMHERE]

1 hour ago, elgordo38 said:

Yes and I am sure the tax people would complain bitterly about a loss of alcohol tax. That is one department that will leave no stone unturned.

The tax is on alcohol by volume. Tax on Black is same as tax on rot gut whiskey. Therefor the tax has been paid. Same tax scheme in the USA, by volume. If you buy $3 wine or $300 wine the tax is the same on the alcohol content. Now if your state charges a sales tax then you do pay more tax because of that but it is on the cost not the alcohol content.

[mike324]

1 hour ago, ExpatOilWorker said:

I will be surprised if that also doesn't happen to wine here.

 

fake wines are known to be smuggled across the border - Penfolds is one of the most commonly faked wines on the market

[Bangkok Barry]

A friend of mine had to visit a factory on Bang Na-Trat Road to check if they were using genuine computer software  and while he was there he found hundreds of Made in Germany labels.

[tifino]

 

the 2 Malaysians were smart - they knew when to run...

 

Fake re-bottled, and into 200ml bottles was a big thing down over the border, and it was sold freely displayed in all corner liquer bars. o the Malaysian would have been very experienced in getting the formalas just-right.

 

In LOS, anyone else remember the old Mekhong up until the 90s?

if you had 2 bottles next to each other, then one person were to take a little nip sip outof one, and thentake a big swig out of the other - it was very likely the first little drink was the one that took your knees away. Mekhong was not Gov't regulated until through the 90's.

Drinking it was like taking off, on an unknown adventure... as every batch was always so so different to the next.

 

But, I still cannot see what the big thing is about JW, no matter the label - I'd take another Mekhong before any JW - anyday!!!

JW is even rougher than Bundaberg Rum

 

and why do thais fall over backwards to get hold of the stuff?? - it's a falang drink

[Scotwight]

1 hour ago, soalbundy said:

for wine you do as the Italians and Austrians did, use anti-freeze

Ethylene glycol poisoning is caused by the ingestion of ethylene glycol, the primary ingredient in automotive antifreeze.

[Monkeyrobot]

Be good to give away as Xmas presents or to you local security gaurd  to stop him telling your misses  what room visitors you had while she was up country. 

[ChrisY1]

Pricks!!...I love Scotch.....Now only when I travel.......

[ScotBkk]

25 minutes ago, Father Fintan Stack said:

 

You can get the originals from Bayon Mart for an absolute bargain.

 

Buying off the street or in Mum and Pop shops there is always a risk, although there's a wee one I use on St. 172 that is good for gin and vodka. 

Fake booze

Being Scottish coming from a country famed for its booze  born to a long line of alcoholics.

 

I've often wondered why in the wee dark hours of the night drinking heavily until the fat lady sings, I'm still as sober as when I walked in. 

 

Now you've solved my curiosity- cheers 

Edited September 29, 2016 by ScotBkk

[richard_smith237]

I thought so too recently... 

 

At 'Sports' Bar in Sukhumvit 20 I questioned the Black Label... I was sure it was fake liquor (and started the small thread below)... 

 

 

[AsianExport]

So many cocktail bars use shiiiite alcohol in Thailand, nothing surprising.

 

 

[ExpatOilWorker]

2 hours ago, Scotwight said:

Wouldn't make sense.  You can buy the flavorings for any whiskey easily as they are used by home distillers.   Not so wine as there is no way to flavor it artificially.

 

It would make sense to pour a cheap wine in an expensive bottle. It even happens in Europe from time to time.

[ExpatOilWorker]

1 hour ago, mike324 said:

 

fake wines are known to be smuggled across the border - Penfolds is one of the most commonly faked wines on the market

 

Do you have anything to support that?

I actually got a few Bin 2 from the border area of Malaysia and they did taste a bit off, but even the cork had the Penfold inscription.

[Anthony5]

6 hours ago, webfact said:

Two Malaysians were hired as lookouts to warn of raids, they said.

 

 

I take it they are fired now

[Scotwight]

1 hour ago, ExpatOilWorker said:

 

Do you have anything to support that?

I actually got a few Bin 2 from the border area of Malaysia and they did taste a bit off, but even the cork had the Penfold inscription.

Think about it for a minute.  What stores sell expensive wines?  If they sold fakes they would be out of business in a NY minute.  Wines at a restaurant you taste before drinking.  JW Black you can push anywhere.  

 

When I was a kid I sold moonshine to bars in New Orleans.  Never wine.  Never a request for it.  I serviced 50 bars on a regular basis.  

 

The Feds used to bust them every once in a while.  They had a way to test the booze.  I think it was with a hydrometer and the alcohol content.  

Edited September 29, 2016 by Scotwight

[Anthony5]

Just now, Scotwight said:

Think about it for a minute.  What stores sell expensive wines?  If they sold fakes they would be out of business in a NY minute.  Wines at a restaurant you taste before drinking.  JW Black you can push anywhere.  

All JW Black taste the same, while the taste of wine is not recognizable, unless you drink plenty of bottles from the same name and year.

 

So a wine is much easier faked, all they have to do is make it smooth and easy on the tongue.