Bar Discovered Serving Rubbing Alcohol Disguised As Scotch Using New 'True Spirit' Technology For New Jersey 'Operation Swill' Sting [Video]

A New Jersey bar was caught serving rubbing alcohol under the guise of Scotch.

Using new "true spirit" technology, the bar was discovered to be serving rubbing alcohol instead of scotch, while other bars busted were serving dirty water as booze.

New Jersey law enforcement officials busted 29 bars across the state as part of their new "Operation Swill" sting, reported the Asbury Park Press on Tuesday.

Law enforcement even used new technology in the bust, where undercover officers confiscated drinks from various drinking establishments to test for purity.

One such bar was replacing scotch with caramel coloring and rubbing alcohol.

State Attorny General Jeffery Chiesa said in a statement:

"This alleged scheme is a dishonest ruse to increase profits and it is a slap in the face to the consumer. Consumers should have the peace of mind of knowing that they will get hat they spent their hard-earned money on every single time - no exceptions."

The investigation began after multiple reports of customer complaints identifying specific locations.

"There's some people that order consistently over time a certain kind of drink and they know when it's not what they ordered," Chiesa continued.

An undercover officer familiar with the bar scene also came forward and implicated those bars and restaurants that have now been caught.

Usually these complaints are hard to prove after the fact, but not with a new tool in New Jersey's arsenal against cheapskate bars and restaurants: the "true spirit authenticator."

The targeted restaurants include the TGI Friday's in Freehold Township, Hazlet and Marlboro, as well as Cafe 34 in Matawan.

In a statement issued yesterday, Ricky Richardson, president of Friday's USA, said:

"We consider the alleged actions detailed by the New Jersey Division of Alcoholic Beverage Control to be very disturbing. If accurate, they would represent a violation of our company's values and our extensive bar and beverage standards which are designed to deliver the highest guest experience in our restaurants."

Richardson continued, "We have zero tolerance for actions that undermine the trust of our guests and call into question the reputation we have built up over the past 48 years."

Earlier this year, investigators visited 63 establishments in New Jersey including some selected totally at random.

After asking for drinks "neat," or sans ice, water or mixer.

Instead of sipping the beverage they used the true spirit authenticator on 150 samples.

If they didn't get the authentic drink, they beverages were sent back to the manufacturers and tested further.

In one such case, authorities discovered on bar had mixed rubbing alcohol and and caramel color in an effort to give the appearance of scotch.

In another, dirty river water was designated as whiskey.

In addition to the Monmouth bars mentioned, here are the other offending establishments as part of "operation swill," per the Asbury Park Press:

"Railroad Café, East Rutherford; The Brick House, Wycoff; 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; Murray's, Dover; TGI Friday's, East Hanover; Sona Thirteen, Morristown; Blackthorn Restaurant, Parsippany; Ruby Tuesday, Bridgewater; TGI Friday's, Linden; Applebee's, Kearny; Cucina Calandara, Fairfield; TGI Friday's, Springfield; and TGI Fridays, Clifton."