Dozens dead or injured after drinking alcohol contaminated with methanol
Moonshine tainted with methanol has killed 23 people and dozens more have been left injured in Turkey.
As least 38 people, including 26 foreign nationals, were taken to various hospitals in Istanbul after drinking contaminated alcohol.
As many as 11 of those in hospitals have died in the last 24 hours, raising the death toll dramatically.
This is the latest tragedy involving bootleg booze in the Turkish megapolis, which topped the list of European breaks for 2024.
It is unclear if all victims consumed the poison at the same place, or if it was purchased at supermarkets.
A similar case as the one In Istanbul reached Britain after lawyer Simone White was killed by ‘poisoned alcohol’ while on holiday in Laos.
The UK tourist, who died in November, was among those thought to have been poisoned by methanol after allegedly being served free drinks in the backpacking hotspot Vang Vieng on the Nam Song River.
Since New Year’s Day, 34 people have been killed by counterfeit alcohol in Istanbul.
Authorities have intensified inspections to crack down on the production and distribution of counterfeit alcohol.
29 tonnes have been seized, and 64 businesses have been shut down for selling it in the past two weeks, the governorate said.
In 2024, 110 people fell ill after drinking the contaminated alcohol in the city, of whom 48 died, official figures show.
What are the symptoms of methanol poisoning?
Methanol is mostly used to make solvents, pesticides, paint thinners, and alternative fuels.
It is very similar to ethanol – the pure form of alcohol in alcoholic drinks.
But unlike ethanol it has a different chemical structure that makes it toxic for humans if they consume it.
Initial adverse health effects include drowsiness, a reduced level of consciousness, confusion, headache, dizziness, and the inability to coordinate muscle movement (ataxia).
In most cases, alcohol tainted with methanol is thought to be the cause.
The substance – which is unfit for human consumption – is often added to alcohol instead of ethanol because it is cheaper.
The most commonly faked product is raki, an aniseed-flavoured Turkish national liquor.
Its price has leapt to around 1,300 lira (£30) a litre in supermarkets, so many are seeking out cheaper – but ultimately dangerous alternatives.
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