Dodgy booze that killed teens found in local liquor stores

Tuesday, 19 May 2026 15:59

Alarming research has found Aussie bottle shops and nightclubs are being flooded with illegal alcohol.

Contaminated alcohol is finding its way onto Australian liquor store shelves in alarming numbers, prompting a dire warning from the grieving father of a Melbourne teenager who was fatally poisoned in Laos.

Around 30 per cent of bottle shops in Australia are now stocking dodgy booze, according to new research by the National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre (NDARC)

Forensic testing carried out by NDARC has found bootleg vodka is being sold at licensed retailers in Melbourne, often at a cheaper price point than legitimate brands.

The bottles, which contained methanol and plastic contaminants, are being sold to "unsuspecting customers", NDARC's Dr Michala Kowalski said.

"People have very little to differentiate between cheap and potentially contaminated products when looking between bottles on a store shelf," Kowalski said.

"Ingestion of methanol at sufficient levels can be toxic and lead to symptoms ranging from vomiting and abdominal pain to blindness, coma and death."

Melbourne teenagers Bianca Jones and Holly Bowles, both aged 19, were killed in November 2024 after unknowingly ingesting methanol-laced alcohol while on a backpacking trip in Laos.

Bianca's father, Mark, told 9News he is "disgusted" by NDARC's findings.

Mark had hoped the illicit alcohol trade which killed his daughter and her friend was a problem that wouldn't reach Australian shores. He was wrong.

"[I'm] quite angry really. Angry that bootleg alcohol is being served here in Melbourne," Mark told 9News.

"To think that the methanol is being sold in retail outlets here is disgraceful.

"It's incredibly scary... we have a heavily regulated alcohol system and it needs to remain that way for a reason."

The sheer scale of the illegal alcohol market in Australia is untested.

However, it is believed to be worth at least $767 million annually, the equivalent of 14 million bottles of vodka, according to the Australian Taxation Office (ATO).

Mark said Australians need to exercise extreme caution when buying or consuming alcohol products which seem "too good to be true".

"I would encourage everyone to remain vigilant in what they're doing, when they're buying their alcohol," he added.

"It's absolutely not worth it. Be vigilant, check the bottles, make sure they look legit."

It isn't just limited to bottle shops either.

Kowalski said illicit alcohol is also being sold in pubs and nightclubs across Australia.

"We have also been told by law enforcement and liquor regulators in several states that these products are increasingly being sold not just in bottle shops but at on-licensed venues like pubs, nightclubs and pubs," she said.

Victoria Police's State Liquor Unit said it is currently investigating 80 licensed venues for production and importation of illicit alcohol.

National Alcohol and Other Drug hotline 1800 250 015

Support for families and friends of individuals experiencing alcohol or drug dependency: Family Drug Support Australia 24/7 Support Line – 1300 368 186