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Uncle Simon : Your alcohol fix on wheels coming to your friendly neighborhood .
Cheap deals on wheels - ST goes undercover
The Straits Times | Mon May 10 2010
The Straits Times went undercover to expose "Uncle Simon", who has been distributing alcohol to teenagers at cheap prices.
Singapore, May 10, 2010 - IF YOU want cheap liquor, call Uncle Simon.
The Straits Times did, recently, and he turned up in a van, swiftly handed over the goods in a paper bag, and even issued a receipt.
The transaction was over in about 10 minutes.
It cost $42 for a 750ml bottle of Absolut vodka and $62.50 for a bottle of Chivas Regal – prices unmatched by any authorised retailer or pub.
The same bottle of Absolut goes for $66.95 at Cold Storage Online, for instance, while a bottle of Chivas would go for $104.95.
No wonder “Uncle Simon”, who did not give his full name, is popular with teenagers.
Several told The Straits Times he is their regular source of cheap booze for house parties.
When asked where he keeps his stock, “Uncle Simon” directed the reporter to his van parked nearby, curtains drawn over the back windows to hide the beat-up crates containing popular liquor brands.
“Uncle Simon” said he regularly receives orders from teenagers and that some even buy entire crates.
Mr Rajan Menon, senior manager of public relations and brand ambassador for Pernod Ricard Singapore, which distributes both Absolut and Chivas Regal here, pointed out differences between the stock from “Uncle Simon” and the authorised bottles he had with him.
The former had no security seals, and its sealing caps and importer’s labels differed markedly from Mr Menon’s bottles.
The origins and content of such cheap bottles are unknown, and there is a good chance they might be counterfeit, say liquor experts.
Mr Menon urged customers not to scrimp when buying alcohol.
“It is our interest to invest in and produce premium whisky,” he said. “It is worth it to pay the extra money and know what you’re getting.”
Cheap deals on wheels - ST goes undercover
The Straits Times | Mon May 10 2010
The Straits Times went undercover to expose "Uncle Simon", who has been distributing alcohol to teenagers at cheap prices.
Singapore, May 10, 2010 - IF YOU want cheap liquor, call Uncle Simon.
The Straits Times did, recently, and he turned up in a van, swiftly handed over the goods in a paper bag, and even issued a receipt.
The transaction was over in about 10 minutes.
It cost $42 for a 750ml bottle of Absolut vodka and $62.50 for a bottle of Chivas Regal – prices unmatched by any authorised retailer or pub.
The same bottle of Absolut goes for $66.95 at Cold Storage Online, for instance, while a bottle of Chivas would go for $104.95.
No wonder “Uncle Simon”, who did not give his full name, is popular with teenagers.
Several told The Straits Times he is their regular source of cheap booze for house parties.
When asked where he keeps his stock, “Uncle Simon” directed the reporter to his van parked nearby, curtains drawn over the back windows to hide the beat-up crates containing popular liquor brands.
“Uncle Simon” said he regularly receives orders from teenagers and that some even buy entire crates.
Mr Rajan Menon, senior manager of public relations and brand ambassador for Pernod Ricard Singapore, which distributes both Absolut and Chivas Regal here, pointed out differences between the stock from “Uncle Simon” and the authorised bottles he had with him.
The former had no security seals, and its sealing caps and importer’s labels differed markedly from Mr Menon’s bottles.
The origins and content of such cheap bottles are unknown, and there is a good chance they might be counterfeit, say liquor experts.
Mr Menon urged customers not to scrimp when buying alcohol.
“It is our interest to invest in and produce premium whisky,” he said. “It is worth it to pay the extra money and know what you’re getting.”