Vic: Police try to close bar over alleged home-made vodka

AAP General News (Australia)
08-13-2009
Vic: Police try to close bar over alleged home-made vodka

By Greg Roberts

MELBOURNE, Aug 13 AAP - Victoria Police have applied to shut down a nightclub accused
of selling potentially dangerous homemade ethanol-based vodka.

Police raided the Room 99 bar in Geelong and the Ballarat home of its 40-year-old female
owner, Ines Perovic, on Wednesday night.

Police believe the bar could have been selling bootleg vodka, passing it off as premium Smirnoff.

The manager of Room 99, Darren Drummond, told AAP he was disgusted over the allegation
and had quit his job.

Police arrested Ms Perovic and a 55-year-old man, and allegedly seized bottles of alcohol,
large plastic 20-litre containers of liquids and various components that made up a small
home distillery, Geelong acting Licensing Inspector Michael Baker said.

"When you have people making spirits at home ... you do not know what dangerous substances
they are putting in, or about quality control or health issues," he told AAP.

"There were murmurs around town and Geelong is not that big a place.

"There is a myriad of possible charges: obtaining property by deception (deceiving
drinkers into thinking they are buying premium vodka); conduct endangering persons and
Australian Taxation Office issues over excise and manufacturing."

Police also intended to apply, for the first time, for a 24-hour suspension of Room
99's liquor licence under new Liquor Control Reform Act laws, Acting Inspector Baker said.

He said Liquor Licensing Victoria would then apply to have the bar closed for longer.

Alcohol and other substances are currently being tested, with vodka from the bar being
compared with that found at Ms Perovic's home, Acting Inspector Baker said.

"We want a quick testing and turnaround in case there are health issues," he said.

"If anyone has any concerns about their consumption at the bar, they should leave their
details with Geelong police."

No charges have yet been laid, and police plan to interview Ms Perovic and the 55-year-old man.

Ms Perovic could not be contacted on Thursday, but Mr Drummond said she planned to
open Room 99 on Thursday night as usual.

"As far as she is concerned, it will open ... " he told AAP.

The bar has attracted negative publicity recently over underage drinking, security
and management issues, cheap alcohol promotions and a smoking room that did not comply
with the Tobacco Act.

AAP gr/pmu/jl/cdh

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