The Istanbul governor’s office in Turkey on Monday said that the death toll from drinking tainted alcohol has risen to 37.
“Thirty-seven people have died, and 17 others are still receiving treatment,” the office reported, as the cases span six weeks.
A total of 77 people have reportedly been poisoned since November 1, with 23 of them already treated and discharged.
On December 4, Turkish media reported that 17 people had died from consuming contaminated alcohol, with 22 others hospitalised.
Methanol-tainted alcohol is believed to be the cause, as methanol is a toxic substance that can be added to liquor to boost its potency but can also lead to blindness, liver damage, and death.
Alcohol poisoning from counterfeit liquor is a frequent problem in Turkey, where private production has surged due to rising taxes on alcoholic beverages.
Raki, Turkey’s traditional aniseed-flavored drink, is the most commonly adulterated product. Its price has soared to around 1,300 lira ($37.20) per liter in supermarkets, while the minimum wage in Turkey is 17,000 lira ($489) per month.
Authorities have also fined 32 businesses for distributing fake alcohol, imposing a total penalty of 2.6 million Turkish lira ($76,200).
The governor’s office stated that police have arrested 14 individuals in connection with the illegal alcohol trade and seized 14,701 bottles of suspicious liquor.
President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, who has faced criticism for his attempts to promote Islamic values in Turkey’s secular state, has long condemned alcohol and tobacco consumption.
In late 2021, at least 25 people died from tainted alcohol in several regions, and the previous year, around 40 people lost their lives to alcohol poisoning.
