Bootleg Alcohol Poisoning
At least 33 people have died in Ankara due to the consumption of bootleg alcohol, with another 20 individuals currently receiving treatment in intensive care, according to a statement from the provincial governor’s office on Friday.
The alarming incident underscores the dangers of counterfeit alcoholic beverages in Turkey, where illicitly produced liquor is often laced with methanol, a highly toxic substance that can lead to blindness, severe organ damage, and even death.
Ankara Governor Vasip Sahin informed reporters that police had conducted a major crackdown, seizing a staggering 102 tonnes of tainted alcohol and arresting 13 suspects believed to be involved in the illegal distribution and sale of the deadly liquor.
However, he did not provide a specific timeline for the recent wave of poisonings. His office had earlier issued a warning via its official X (formerly Twitter) account on Tuesday, citing a notable increase in deaths due to counterfeit alcohol in recent days.
A spokesperson for the governor’s office later clarified to AFP that the reported fatalities were recorded since the beginning of the year.
The crisis in Ankara follows another deadly outbreak of bootleg alcohol poisoning in Istanbul last month. Between January 13 and January 17, at least 38 people lost their lives after consuming contaminated liquor, while 26 others were admitted to intensive care units.
Despite the severity of the situation, there have been no official updates on whether the number of deaths in Istanbul has risen or on the current conditions of those still receiving medical care.
When AFP contacted the Istanbul governor’s office for an update on Friday, a spokesperson declined to provide further details, stating, “We are not going to make a statement on that.”
The proliferation of bootleg alcohol in Turkey has been linked to the rising costs of legally produced liquor. Although Turkey is constitutionally a secular nation, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, a devout Muslim, has implemented steep tax hikes on alcohol in line with his conservative policies.
Over the years, these taxes have made legally manufactured alcoholic beverages increasingly unaffordable for many citizens. For instance, a one-liter bottle of raki, Turkey’s popular aniseed-flavored national drink, now costs over 1,300 lira ($37.20). This is a significant expense in a country where the minimum monthly wage has only recently surpassed $600.
Critics argue that the soaring alcohol prices are driving a surge in illicit homebrewing and underground liquor production, as many consumers turn to cheaper, unregulated alternatives.
The government’s heavy taxation on alcohol, they say, has inadvertently fueled the black market, resulting in preventable tragedies like the recent deaths in Ankara and Istanbul.
Authorities continue their efforts to combat the illegal alcohol trade, but the persistence of these incidents highlights the urgent need for a comprehensive approach to regulation and public awareness to prevent further loss of life.
