Importer and Distributor Fined Nearly $250,000 Over Attempted Illegal Liquor Sales

The New Zealand Herald reported on Sunday that Golden Grand Trading, an importer and distributor based out of Aukland, was fined $244,000 after it pled guilty to three charges related to efforts to sell bottles of illegal liquor without following proper protocol. The bottles were sold without special labels called “lot codes” demonstrating they met food safety regulations.

“Our investigators found the importers bought thousands of bottles of liquor with lot codes removed and that it was cheaper — by nearly 7.5 percent.” New Zealand Food Safety Deputy Director-General Vincent Arbuckle said in a statement.

The bottles were tested, and it appeared the booze inside was indeed legitimate, and that the distribution company was simply attempting to curb financial costs by not including those labels. 30 bottles were recalled in total, and the crime took place between 2016 and 2019.

Golden Grand Trading ended up pleading guilty to the charges, and one of these charges included being an unregistered importer.

The New Zealand Herald reports that importers within the country must ensure they are following the country’s rigorous laws to ensure food and drink are safe for human consumption.

“When we find evidence of non-compliance, such as lot codes being tampered with, we will take action, including removing products from shelves, and in serious cases placing the offending before the courts,” Arbuckle said.

Though this incident of companies attempting to move illegal booze seems relatively benign, other incidents have far more catastrophic repercussions.

In January, twenty people fell ill and three died after ingesting counterfeit alcohol in West Azerbaijan. Those with symptoms were admitted to Fajr Hospital to be treated for poisoning.

The individuals suspected of supplying the illegal hooch were taken into custody.

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