Seizures of adulterated, counterfeit wine up 102% since 2007

Police seized 31 mln euros' worth of falsified wine in 2013

(ANSA) - Rome, April 7 - Fraud in Italy's food and alcoholic beverage sector more than doubled between 2007 and 2013, with police seizures of adulterated, counterfeit or falsified products jumping 102% in the same period, new data from Coldiretti farmers' association showed Monday.

In 2013 alone, police seized 31 million euros' worth of counterfeit or adulterated wine and other alcohol drinks, arrested 15 people and reported 51 others to prosecutors. A further 267 individuals were reported to administrative authorities. Also in 2013, the fraud squad seized 9,308 tonnes of wine, either because it came with an untraceable chain of production or because it was watered down with water and ethanol.

During Christmas last year, police forced companies to withdraw 37,000 hectolitres of unbottled wine and 150,000 of bottles of adulterated sparkling wine from the market. "These excellent results on the part of law enforcement confirm the effectiveness of our vigilance against a crime that is particularly hateful, because it is based on deceit and because it strikes at lower-income people who are forced to shop for bargain foods," said Coldiretti President Roberto Moncalvo.