Nineteen people have died in Istanbul in the past 19 hours after drinking adulterated alcohol, local officials said. A total of 72 people, including 65 foreigners, have been hospitalized for the same reason, authorities said on Tuesday.
Istanbul Governor Davutoglu announced that the licenses of 63 stores were revoked and the businesses were closed.
“All individuals who cause deaths by selling adulterated alcohol are being identified and brought to justice. Please be careful – deaths are increasing,” Gul wrote on social media. In his post, he highlighted a directive issued by the governor’s office to combat the spread of adulterated alcohol, which states that businesses found to be involved in unlicensed alcohol sales or contributing to deaths will have their operating licenses permanently revoked.
Additionally, the governor's office revealed that 110 people were poisoned by smuggled alcohol in Istanbul in 2024, with 48 of them succumbing to the toxic effects. The problem persists despite intensified inspections by law enforcement authorities and monitoring groups.
Illegal alcohol production remains rampant in Turkey, fueled by the high prices of legal alcoholic beverages. Taking advantage of the situation, illegal alcohol manufacturers often use cheaper but toxic substances, such as methyl alcohol, leading to an increase in deaths.
Experts say that even small amounts of methyl alcohol can be fatal, with survivors facing serious health consequences, including blindness, kidney failure and neurological disorders.
Source: protothema.gr
Discussion about this post