Customs officers seized more than 1.2 tonnes of suspected illegal alcohol from a single shop during a two-day crackdown on booze smugglers.
Dangerous levels of poisonous methanol were found in counterfeit bottles of spirits sold in off-licenses across Brighton and Hove.
Teams of officers from Sussex Police, Revenue and Customs (HMRC) and Trading Standards fanned out across the city to inspect 30 stores on Tuesday, January 31 and Wednesday, February 1.
The operation marked the first time the three agencies had worked together to tackle the growing problem of fake or smuggled booze.
In one shop more than a thousand bottles of counterfeit wine were found crammed into a small stockroom alongside numerous cases of illegal beer.
At another store, an enforcement team discovered a van in the act of delivering smuggled alcohol.
Licensing officer PC Lara Baldwin saw the Ford Transit van pulling away sharply as the officers approached.
“We stopped it down the road and found it was almost completely full of counterfeit wine, beer and vodka.
“The driver was very nervous and was shocked to be stopped – but the shop owners claimed to have had no idea that the goods were illegal. It was a very significant find for us.”
Suspected bottles of counterfeit Sambuca, vodka and Jacob’s Creek wine were found in another shop.
Trading Standards officer Cat MacBeth said: “People don’t realise how dangerous these illegal goods can be.
“In the past, dead insects have been found in these bottles, along with high levels of poisonous methanol, even computer screen wash.
“This stuff is not being produced in a clean safe environment. They don’t care about health and safety.
“They are making these drinks from industrial grade alcohol, which can be very dangerous.”
The officer warned much of the cheapest alcohol on sale in Brighton is potentially illegal because unlicensed booze can be up to 70% cheaper to produce.
Sussex Police Superintendent Simon Nelson warned traders not to buy goods from the back of vans or without invoices.
The superintendent warned booze smugglers that more coordinated raids across Brighton were likely to tackle the “emerging problem.”
A series of spot checks carried out at off-licences in Chichester, Selsey and Midhurst found no counterfeit alcohol or tobacco on sale.
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