Alcohol importer, distributor fined $244k for non-compliant bottles

An Auckland liquor importer and a distributor have been fined $244,000 for trying to sell alcohol without legitimate bottle labels.

Importer Golden Grand Trading Limited and distributor Mayajaal Holdings Limited supplied more than 5000 bottles of illegal liquor to retailers between 2016 and 2019, the Ministry for Primary Industries said.

The liquor, which had a retail value of $292,526, was seized by New Zealand Food Safety investigators from their distribution warehouse.

A total of 30 bottles sold by retailers were recalled and seven were seized from stores and another two from an online purchase.

New Zealand Food Safety deputy director Vincent Arbuckle said the importers bought non-compliant bottles to cut costs.

"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."

Arbuckle said lot codes, which are laser-etched into glass bottles or printed on a label, ensure traceability in case of a product recall and assure consumers the product is genuine.

"In this case, a sample of the liquor was tested and showed that the product was genuine, but that does not excuse the offending.

"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."

The companies were sentenced in the Auckland District Court in April following prosecution by New Zealand Food Safety.

Golden Grand Trading Limited was fined $142,000 and Mayajaal Holdings Limited was fined $102,000.

Both companies were ordered to share costs of $36,000 for disposal of the alcohol.

The sentencing is part of a wider Ministry for Primary Industries compliance investigation called "Operation Spirit".

In 2022, another Auckland liquor importing company was fined more than $150,000 for a similar offence.