A Bradford councillor says heavy taxes on alcohol can have dangerous consequences.

Councillor Simon Cooke (Con, Bingley Rural) spoke out after 656 litres of fake spirits were seized.

Coun Cooke said: “It’s the biggest seizure yet of fake vodka by Trading Standards in West Yorkshire.

“This is the consequence of government action - it makes such illegal arbitrage worth the risk. At £2 a shot that’s over fifty grand. Or, in terms of tax avoided, it’s about six grand.

“Eventually people start dodging those taxes – and the results are dangerous.

“The more we load onto duty, the more of this we’ll see and the more we’ll read of people poisoned by isopropanol, tertiary butanol and chloroform, none of which should be in vodka.

“This won’t be the lesson from this event – the tip of an illegal spirits iceberg – our lords and masters will carry on piling the tax onto booze in the interests of “health”.