1,000 Bottles Of Booze Seized In 'Operation Swill'

More than 1,000 bottles of booze were seized from 29 New Jersey bars, including Wyckoff's Brick House, by more than 100 state agents Wednesday at the conclusion of a year-long investigation called “Operation Swill,’’ authorities said Thursday.

Brick House owner Aldo Cascio declined to comment Thursday, but told northjersey.com that he did not believe his reputation would suffer.

"My customers know me," he told the Record. "I have been in business for 20 years, and I have never had anything like this happen to me."

The investigation alleges that the bars and restaurants filled premium alcoholic beverage bottles with cheaper alcohol in an attempt to fool customers and increase profits, authorities have said.

Customers paid for the premium brand, but were instead poured a non-premium substitute, the release says. 

Acting on tips and consumer complaints, samples were taken in January and February when ABC investigators visited 63 licensed establishments across the state and covertly took 150 samples. The undercover detectives paid for drinks ordered with no ice or mixer.  Some of the locations visited had previous complaints against them, and some were chosen at random, the release says.

“This alleged scheme is a dishonest ruse to increase profits, and it is a slap in the face to the consumer,” state Attorney General Jeffrey Chiesa said in a release. “Consumers should have the peace of mind of knowing that they will get what they spent their hard-earned money on every single time — no exceptions.”

Investigators from the Alcoholic Beverage Control and Division of Criminal Justice on Wednesday raided each of the establishments, inspected the bar areas and seizing all opened bottles of the following brands:

• Vodka: Finlandia, Smirnoff, Absolut, Grey Goose, Ketel One
• Gin: Tanqueray, Bombay Sapphire, Gordon’s
• Rum: Bacardi Light, Bacardi Dark, Captain Morgan Spiced
• Scotch: Johnny Walker Black, Dewar’s
• Whiskey: Jack Daniel’s Black Label, Jim Beam, Knob Creek, Maker’s Mark
• Tequila: Jose Cuervo Silver, Jose Cuervo Gold, Patron Silver

Following the sample collection earlier this year, the ABC tested the 150 samples using a new testing technology, a device called the True Spirit Authenticator, a machine that provides a preliminary analysis of samples in short order, the release says.

Samples also were sent to the laboratories of the brand manufacturers for further testing.  Of the 150 samples, 30 were not the brand they purported to be, the release says.

Investigators on Wednesday also took statements from employees and also served demands for sales records. The establishments have seven days to provide sales and invoice records that include information about the 20 brands of interest, the release says.

They will also have to provide to the ABC information about the employees that were working the day samples were taken and the retail prices from the last nine months of the targeted brands, the release says.

Penalties for serving a drink other than ordered range from a five-day suspension for the first offense to a 15-day suspension for the third offense.  If further testing proves any of the seized bottles did not contain the correct labeled alcohol, that bottle could have multiple violations based on the potential drinks that could have been poured from it, the release says. 

ABC regulations could also allow for a 30-day suspension for any illegal activity on the licensed premise and those locations could also face a 30-day suspension for not cooperating in the investigation, the release says.

“I believe Operation Swill will go a long way toward restoring that peace of mind and will also serve as a warning to anyone currently engaging in, or thinking about engaging in, this fraudulent practice,” added Chiesa.

The full list of bars and restaurants targeted by Operation Swill:

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