Spirits mafia receive jail terms of up to 13 years

A court in Olomouc has sentenced a man to 13 years in prison for running a large-scale illicit spirits operation. Radek Březina, who Czech media refer to as the boss of a liquor mafia, has also had his property seized. His brother Tomáš, Březina’s closest associate, received a four-year term, while five other members of the gang got prison sentences ranging from six to 12 years. The group deprived the state of nearly CZK 7 billion in taxes. In 2012 there was a temporary ban on spirits in the Czech Republic after a spate of poisonings. Nearly 50 people died in total and several others were left with lasting health problems.

Author: Ian Willoughby