Authorities announced Wednesday that 23 people died within 48 hours after drinking contaminated alcohol in Istanbul.
At least 43 other people were hospitalized, 32 of them in intensive care, Turkish officials said. A total of 34 people have died under the influence of bootleg alcohol since the beginning of the year. Alcohol mixed with methanol is believed to be the cause.
Methanol is a substance often added to alcohol to increase its potency. Ethanol is often used in place of ethanol in illegally produced products because it is cheaper and can cause blindness, liver damage and death, according to a study examining illegally produced alcohol in southern Turkey. It is said that there is a possibility.
There was no immediate comment from the Turkish Ministry of Health.
Poisoning with adulterated alcohol is extremely dangerous. common in TürkiyePrivate production has surged as authorities increase taxes on alcoholic beverages.
In 2024, 110 people in Istanbul became ill after drinking contaminated alcohol, and 48 of them died, according to government officials.
The most commonly counterfeited drink is Raki, Türkiye’s anise-flavored national drink. In supermarkets, prices have soared to about 1,300 lire (about $37.20) per liter. On January 1, Turkey raised its national minimum wage to 22,104 lira ($600).
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, elected in 2014 and previously serving as the country’s ruling prime minister, played a major role in reforming Turkey’s alcohol laws. Since 2013, Turkey has banned advertising promoting alcohol, prohibited alcohol brands from sponsoring events, and banned scenes depicting alcohol use in the media.
