Adulterated Alcohol: Not just in Sri Lanka

TGI Friday., Moscow

Many New Jersey bars were found selling adulterated alcohol in sting named Operation Swill.  In  one bar, a mixture that included rubbing alcohol and caramel coloring was sold as scotch.

These were not run of the mill dilapidated ghetto bars.  They included 13 restaurants of the well known world wide chain  TGI Fridays (Thank God its Friday).  Thats a place where a cocktail averages around USD 9 and beer in NYC branch around USD 8.

As part of Operation Swill, investigators collected 1,000 open bottles of vodka, gin, rum, scotch, whiskey and tequila from the wells of the bars, state Attorney General Jeffrey Chiesa said.

In January and February, investigators went to 63 establishments they suspected were scamming liquor customers. They ordered drinks neat — that is, without ice or mixers — and then covertly took samples for testing.

Of 150 samples collected, 30 were not the brand as which they were being sold.

From  http://www.zerohedge.com/news/2013-05-24/latest-inflation-evasion-scam-bars-serving-caramelized-rubbing-alcohol-instead-scotc