Fake liquor factory busted in Armenia

The Armenian State Revenue Committee (ASRC) has shut down a manufacturing plant for counterfeit alcoholic beverages in Abovyan, located within the Kotayk region, according to an ARKA News Agency report.

Acting on a tip-off, officials conducted a test purchase of vodka from the ring producing and distributing the knock-off liquor, acquiring 10 bottles that, on testing, were shown to be fake.

A raid on the premises uncovered equipment for alcohol distillation, empty bottles with labels claiming to be from various manufacturers, corks, homemade filters, and alcohol-containing liquids in various containers, according to the report.

That included a stainless steel container with one tonne of a liquid similar to alcohol, as well as 82 bottles of vodka of various brands that had no excise stamps or other control identification marks, depriving the Armenian state of revenue and – most importantly – potentially placing consumers at serious health risks.

Counterfeit and otherwise illicit alcohol can have high levels of methanol, which is sometimes added deliberately to increase the alcohol content of their products cheaply, or is produced during a poorly controlled production process. Methanol contamination can cause serious side effects including blindness and paralysis when ingested even in fairly small quantities.

Recent tragedies, including the November 2024 methanol contamination in Laos, where Tiger Vodka and Whisky led to the deaths of six tourists, highlight the urgent need for robust brand protection strategies, according to this recently published white paper.

Serialised coding can protect consumers, says ASRC

To protect against the purchase of counterfeit alcohol, ASRC has recommended that Armenian citizens use the E-Mark mobile app developed for use in the Eurasian Economic Union (EEU to scan control identification marks – in the form of datamatrix codes – on bottles.

The digital mark has been a requirement for alcoholic beverages sold in Armenia since 2023, and is scheduled to become mandatory for a range of products sold in the domestic market this year.

From March 1, that included beer, various non-alcoholic beverages and certain foodstuffs like pasta, chocolate, and cooking oils. From June 1, dairy and meat products come into scope, along with animal feed, while petroleum products, paints, varnishes and desiccants should carry the labels from September 1.

Medicine compliance was scheduled for the June 1 deadline, but that was delayed in February until January 1 next year.

Photo by engin akyurt on Unsplash