DRINKERS are being warned to steer clear of bogus bottles of vodka which could contain harmful additives.
A bottle of liquid labelled Voronov was handed to police in Middlesbrough and tested by food safety experts, who found it contained excess water and registered only 11.3 per cent of alcohol by volume, rather than the legal minimum for vodka of 37 per cent.
Middlesbrough Council's environment commissioner, Oliver Johnson, warned people not to buy the drink.
"Anyone who buys these bottles is being conned, and anyone who sells them will be prosecuted," he said.
"These tests haven't shown anything other than water in the vodka, but as food safety officers can't carry out comprehensive checks for additives, their advice is to play safe and not drink the vodka."
Anyone who is offered a bottle is asked to contact Middlesbrough Council's food safety team on (01642) 264225.
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