Fake Jacob’s Creek seized in indie raids

Seizures of fake Jacob's Creek wine have been made across South East England as part of an investigation by London Trading Standards, the FSA and brand owner Pernod Ricard.

The counterfeit wines were being offered for sale in independent wholesalers and a number of small independent retail outlets across London boroughs including Southwark, Lambeth, Ealing, Hounslow, Harrow and Havering as well as in Surrey, Brighton and Reading.

Simon Thomas, deputy MD for wine at Pernod Ricard UK, said the counterfeit wine was of "very low quality and substandard taste". It could be identified by a number of spelling mistakes on the label including 'Wine of Austrlia'.

Havering Council said nearly a quarter of independent off-licences in its borough had been found to be selling the wine, with 340 bottles seized from 19 stores.