Three people died and eight others were hospitalized in İstanbul after drinking toxic counterfeit alcohol, the private DHA news agency reported.
Despite medical efforts, three victims succumbed to the effects of poisoning, DHA said. Eight patients are still receiving treatment at various hospitals in the city.
A police investigation has found that the victims had purchased fake alcohol products from locations in Şişli and Beyoğlu. Two suspects were detained in a raid targeting a business in Şişli that was found to be involved in the illegal alcohol trade. A third suspect was apprehended in the act of selling bootleg alcohol in Beyoğlu in an undercover operation conducted by police officers posing as customers.
Authorities also uncovered a large quantity of products used in making fake alcohol products in the course of the investigation. During searches of the suspects’ properties and vehicles, police seized 410 liters of ethyl and methyl alcohol, as well as other materials commonly used in the production of counterfeit alcohol products.
The tragedy highlights the growing risks of the bootleg alcohol trade in Turkey, exacerbated by the high taxes on alcoholic beverages and tobacco products that have made them unaffordable for many.
The government introduced a significant increase in the Special Consumption Tax on these items in early 2022, leading to higher prices. These taxes are deemed by many in Turkey as excessively punitive. As most people’s incomes are not sufficient to afford alcohol, many turn to bootleg products. Turkish media reported 84 deaths as a result of tainted alcohol consumption in December 2021 alone, before the prices shot up.
Data from the Trade Ministry showed in March that a total of 7,386 liters of counterfeit alcohol were seized in the country last year.