TradeMe pulls fake Bieber alcohol auction

Justin Bieber on stage with Rae Sremmurd at The Studio in Auckland. Photo / Paint It Gold

TradeMe has pulled a fake auction for alcohol allegedly left over after Justin Bieber's wild night in New Zealand - and a concert venue staff member is being disciplined for "inventing" the story behind the auction.

Bieber had one hell of a night while in Auckland recently when he showed up unannounced at an Auckland concert by hip-hop duo Rae Sremmurd, dancing, singing and pouring a bottle of Hennessy out across the stage.

A photo from the auction for Justin Bieber's bottle of Hennessy. Photo/TradeMe

A TradeMe auction for a bottle of Hennessy claimed it was the one Bieber was drinking from at The Studio that night - and even included his "backwash".

"This is the actual bottle of Hennessy Justin drank out of when he appeared on stage for a surprise performance at the Rae Sremmurd show at The Studio in Auckland on Thursday 1st October," the item's description reads.

"There's backwash in there (yum), and wrapping your lips around this bottle is the closest you'll get to a kiss from the Biebe himself.

"We can verify that this is the actual bottle and came from backstage after the show."

But The Studio's general manager, Marie Lawrence, told the Herald that all leftover bottles were destroyed on the night "as is company policy".

"The employee in question is being fully reprimanded for inventing this story," said Lawrence, who "fully apologises for any upset that this may have caused".

We've pulled the Bieber backwash bottle - alcohol & (famous) spit is tricky. We can relist if the liquid is removed http://t.co/ahUDU1Fy6G

— trademe (@TradeMe) October 7, 2015

TradeMe's communications and community manager Logan Mudge said the auction was pulled because "selling anything on TradeMe that contains bodily fluids and alcohol is against our rules".

"We will relist the auction for free if the seller removes any liquid left inside the bottle and gives it a good wash," Mudge said.

"We love an interesting auction and we aren't out to be the fun police, but unfortunately this one was a few drops too far."

The promoter for the show had earlier told the Herald the auction was "100 per cent not real" and any bottles containing alcohol drunk by Bieber on the night were destroyed.

"I know this because we cleared out the backstage afterwards and it was all put into a bottle bin (and smashed) with the rest of the rubbish," Mark Kneebone told the Herald.

At the show, Bieber - who had performed an intimate show for 150 fans earlier that night - was seen partying in the venue's artist area, then joining the group on stage for several songs, dancing, drinking, and pouring alcohol across the stage.

The Auction had reached a top bid of $31.

Footage of Bieber's wild night in Auckland spread around the world, and Bieber later admitted on Instagram he was drunk.

- nzherald.co.nz