Nineteen people in Istanbul have died after consuming bootleg alcohol contaminated with methanol, with additional cases of poisoning under treatment.
The death toll has escalated from 11 since Tuesday, according to the Istanbul Governor’s Office, which noted that 110 individuals were poisoned by tainted alcohol throughout 2024, resulting in 48 deaths.
Methanol, a hazardous substance commonly used to enhance the potency of illicit alcohol, is identified as the likely culprit. Exposure to methanol can lead to severe health issues including blindness, liver damage, and death.
Alcohol-related poisonings persist as a significant problem in Turkey, where illegal alcohol production has increased due to high taxes on legitimate alcoholic products. Raki, Turkey’s national liquor and the drink most frequently counterfeited, now sells for roughly 1,300 Turkish lira ($37) per litre in supermarkets.
11 dead, 38 hospitalized in Istanbul over the last 24 hours after drinking counterfeit alcohol
26 of the hospitalized victims were foreign nationals pic.twitter.com/KtL79BAYvz
— RT (@RT_com) January 14, 2025Critics have accused President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s government of aggravating this crisis by imposing high taxes and promoting policies that curb alcohol consumption as part of an agenda to impose Islamic values on Turkish society.
Since the minimum wage is 17,000 lira ($480) per month, many in Turkey opt for these less expensive but risky, illegal alternatives.
