Liquor producer's distributor in custody over methanol

Zlin, South Moravia, Oct 28 (CTK) - Robert Sedlarik, executive of Likerka Drak liquor maker's exclusive distributor Verdana, has been remanded in custody over the methanol poisoning scandal within which 30 died after drinking bootleg alcohol in the past two months, Czech Television (CT) reported yesterday.

The judge probably concluded that Sedlarik might flee the country or influence witnesses.

Eight persons were arrested within the methanol earlier this week. The police have not provided more information on the case. Two of the arrested were taken into custody on Saturday, including businessman Radek Brezina who allegedly owns Likerka Drak.

The court was to decide on whether two other persons would be remanded in custody yesterday.

The police caught Sedlarik after searching for him for a week. Two weeks ago, thousands of bottles of poisonous cheap rum and vodka with Likerka Drak labels were revealed in Verdana's warehouses in Zlin. The spirits were prepared for distribution to retail shops and they contained 50 percent of methanol.

Most of the people died of methanol-tainted alcohol in September. The Czech government declared a temporary ban on liquor sales then. After the two men who were the source of the poisonous methanol were caught, the police has been trying to destroy the distributor network of bootleg alcohol.