More than 90 die from bootleg spirit in two months

BURSA

At least 92 people have lost their lives due to methyl alcohol poisoning across Turkey since Oct. 9, state-run Anadolu Agency has reported.

The chain of bootleg alcohol-related deaths in recent months began in the western province of İzmir in early October when four people died.

In the following 69 days, the death toll from methyl alcohol poisoning rose to a total of 92 in the country’s 14 provinces.

Recently, at least three people lost their lives in the northwestern province of Bursa.

A total of 14 people, including six in critical condition, were admitted to hospitals in Bursa after they consumed counterfeit alcohol on Dec. 14. Two of them lost their lives on the same day.

One more died on Dec. 16. 

Police conducted raids in different locations in the province and detained two suspects over their alleged involvement in the supply of methyl alcohol.

Thirty liters of counterfeit alcohol were also seized in the operations.

One of the detainees told the police that he ordered the methyl alcohol online from a supplier in Istanbul.

Police seized more than 58,000 liters of bootleg alcohol, 19,000 liters of ethyl alcohol and 340 liters of methyl alcohol in operations conducted from Jan. 1 and Oct. 27 this year in Ankara, detaining 159 suspects. Ten of them were arrested and sent to prison.