Already 37 people have died in Istanbul as a result of consuming illegally sold alcohol, local media report. In total, almost 80 people have been poisoned in the last six weeks, some of them are still hospitalized. An investigation is underway and 14 people have already been arrested.
From the beginning of November as a result methanol poisoning in Istanbul at least 37 people died – media reports, citing data from the office of the governor of this city. According to them, at least 77 people were poisoned by illegal alcohol in the last six weeks. 17 of them remain hospitalized, another 23 injured have been discharged home.
As the Medyascope portal adds, an investigation is underway in connection with the case, and proceedings have been initiated against 36 people. In the case of 14 suspects, it was decided to arrest them, 8 were placed under judicial control and another 14 were released.
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Alcohol poisoning in Turkey
VOA Türkçe notes that poisoning from illegally produced alcohol is not in Turkey nothing new. In 2021, at least 25 people died within a few days after consuming moonshine in various regions of Turkey. A year earlier, poisonings led to the death of about 40 people in Turkey. Methanol is most often responsible for deaths, and drinking even small amounts can result in death or serious disability.
This year, Turkish police have already confiscated 288,000 liters of illegal alcohol. Estimates say that between 10 and 12 million liters of alcohol may be produced outside the official trade each year in this country. According to experts quoted by the portal, high taxes on alcoholic beverages are primarily responsible for such a significant scale of illegal production. In the case of spirit drinks, they reach up to 150 percent, reports VOA Türkçe. As a result, a bottle of raki – traditional Turkish alcohol – in a supermarket costs about 1,300 Turkish liras (equivalent to PLN 150), while minimum wage in Turkey it is 17,000 liras (less than PLN 2,000).
PAP, VOA Türkçe, Medyascope
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