The owner of an off-licence in Esher High Street that sold highly toxic counterfeit vodka has been fined £1,690 at Staines Magistrates’ Court.
Murugsu Sundarapalan, who owns Esher Wines and lives in Hollington Crescent, New Malden, appeared at the court on Wednesday, July 22, after he sold in his shop the vodka, which tests confirmed contained methanol 1,500 times over maximum amount allowed.
The court heard that Sundarapalan bought a box containing 12 bottles of the potentially lethal concoction for £60 from a man he had never met before who visited the shop in the spring of last year.
He did not know the man and has not seen him since, the court heard.
The bottles were then put on sale in the shop at £7.99 per bottle and four were sold to the public.
After a tip-off, members of Surrey County Council’s Trading Standards team visited the shop in August 2008 and seized the remaining eight bottles.
Sundarapalan admitted that he had bought the bottles on the cheap to make a profit, but said it had been the first time he had bought goods from a non-legitimate supplier.
Speaking for the prosecution, Alan Renner said: "The analysis reported the excess levels of methanol would be injurious to health [but Sundarapalan] seemed unconcerned of people’s welfare when told it was toxic."
However, John Read, representing the defendant, claimed his client was remorseful.
He said: "He regrets this has happened and it is unfair of the prosecution to say he indicated no concern for customers.
"He had no reason to think the vodka was counterfeit or harmful.
"He now understands it was an unwise thing to do and in future will only buy from respectable sources."
Mr Read pleaded with the magistrates to be lenient with a fine as his client ran the shop without any staff and was struggling financially due to the recession and competition from supermarkets.
He added: "The company is effectively him."
Sundarapalan pleaded guilty to the charges on behalf of the company, as well as charges as an individual.
Esher Wines and Sundarapalan were both fined £450 each for selling vodka with excess methanol, £50 each for selling vodka with a false trade mark and £345 each in costs.
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