Scores of TGI Fridays in New Jersey 'busted for selling caramel-colored rubbing alcohol as top-shelf scotch' in statewide crackdown dubbed Operation Swill


At one bar, a mixture that included rubbing alcohol and caramel coloring was sold as scotch. In another, premium liquor bottles were refilled with water - and apparently not even clean water at that.

State officials provided those new details Thursday on raids they conducted a day earlier as part of a yearlong investigation dubbed Operation Swill.

Twenty-nine New Jersey bars and restaurants, including 13 TGI Fridays, were accused of substituting cheap booze - or worse - for top-shelf brands while charging premium prices.
As part of Operation Swill, investigators collected 1,000 open bottles of vodka, gin, rum, scotch, whiskey and tequila from the wells of the bars, state Attorney General Jeffrey Chiesa said.

‘This alleged scheme is a dishonest ruse to increase profits and is a slap in the face of the consumer,’ Chiesa said.

Within seven days, the establishments must turn over records to help state authorities determine how many patrons were overcharged and by how much.
They also will have to inform the state which employees were at work the days samples were covertly taken earlier this year.

The undercover inspectors tested vodka brands such as Grey Goose and Ketel One; scotch, such as Johnny Walker Black and Dewar’s; and Jose Cuervo Silver and Gold tequila.
Of 150 samples collected, 30 were not the brand as which they were being sold.

The establishments face suspensions of their liquor licenses and possible revocations if there are enough violations.

COMPLETE LIST OF NJ BARS BUSTED IN LIQUOR RAID:

Applebee's, Kearny
Bell's Tavern, Lambertville
Blackthorn Restaurant, Parsippany
The Brick House, Wyckoff
Brunswick Grove, East Brunswick
Café 34, Matawan
Cucina Calandara, Fairfield
Graziano's Ristorante, Chesilhurst
Italian Affair, Glassboro
Murray's, Dover
Railroad Café, East Rutherford
Ruby Tuesday, Bridgewater
Sona Thirteen, Morristown
Sunset Tavern, Burlington
TGI Fridays in Clifton; East Hanover; East Windsor; Freehold; Hamilton; Hazlet; Linden; Marlboro; North Brunswick; Old Bridge; Piscataway; Springfield and West Orange
Villari's Lakeside, Gloucester Township
Yesterday's, Marmora

now the question is,did crooked Barmen,or Management contrive this!?

It appears that this was done throughout New Jersey at different bars.
I would suspect the management.
I wonder how many bars in other states do this?

Probably more common than People think!

yes.