Police told not to 'waste' bootleg booze
Police in western Sweden have been ordered to cease pouring seized alcoholic drinks down the drain due to the risk of poisoning the local water supply.
The County Administrative Board (Länsstyrelsen) of Västra Götaland has forbidden the practice in a bid to ensure that water supplies are as clean as possible, according to a report by Sveriges Radio.
The board's decision is in response to a massive climb in the amount of confiscated alcohol in recent years.
Smuggling along Sweden's west coast towards Norway has increased fourfold over the past year alone, according to both police and customs figures.
Disposing of the seized spirits has posed something of a dilemma for the authorities and the bootleg beverages have hitherto been simply thrown away while the packaging has been recycled.
Gudrun Magnusson, an environmental engineer at the agency, however argues that the police have to be more creative.
The police have meanwhile responded that while simply pouring the liquor down the drain may have its disadvantages, there is currently little option as the mountain of bottles and beer cans continues to accumulate at recycling stations.
One suggestion doing the rounds is that the alcohol could be used to produce biogas, according to the report.
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The County Administrative Board (Länsstyrelsen) of Västra Götaland has forbidden the practice in a bid to ensure that water supplies are as clean as possible, according to a report by Sveriges Radio.
The board's decision is in response to a massive climb in the amount of confiscated alcohol in recent years.
Smuggling along Sweden's west coast towards Norway has increased fourfold over the past year alone, according to both police and customs figures.
Disposing of the seized spirits has posed something of a dilemma for the authorities and the bootleg beverages have hitherto been simply thrown away while the packaging has been recycled.
Gudrun Magnusson, an environmental engineer at the agency, however argues that the police have to be more creative.
The police have meanwhile responded that while simply pouring the liquor down the drain may have its disadvantages, there is currently little option as the mountain of bottles and beer cans continues to accumulate at recycling stations.
One suggestion doing the rounds is that the alcohol could be used to produce biogas, according to the report.
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