Contaminated spirits found in Berkshire warehouse

Health authorities are urging operators to be especially vigilant following a raid on a warehouse in Berkshire that unearthed thousands of bottles of counterfeit Johnny Walker Black Label whisky contaminated with dangerous levels of methanol.

Although a small level of methanol is present in spirits, it can cause severe abdominal pains, drowsiness and even blindness when consumed in excessive amounts.

Last week's find comes only a week after trading standards officers in Leicestershire seized bottles of vodka, also poisoned with unacceptable levels of methanol.

The whisky can be identified by its missing neck label, no "E mark" on its base between the "700ml" and "73ml" labels, a fake lot code on the front label (L04P24878342) and writing in Spanish on the rear label.