ANKARA (Reuters) – More than 100 people have died from poisoning by bootleg alcohol in Ankara and Istanbul, NTV reported on Friday, after authorities warned about rising sales of illicit booze being passed off as big name brands.
In Istanbul, 70 people died from the poisoning since January 14, NTV said, without citing its source. Another 33 have died in the capital Ankara since the start of the year, NTV said, citing Ankara governor Vasip Sahin.
The office of Istanbul’s governor could not immediately be reached for comment.
Another 230 people in the two cities have been hospitalised, the broadcaster said. Of those in hospitals, 40 were in a critical condition, NTV said.
The price of alcoholic beverages has rocketed in recent years due to heavy taxes imposed by President Tayyip Erdogan’s Islamist-rooted ruling AK Party. Alcoholic drinks makers have also faced an increasingly onerous tax burden and other restrictions.
The high costs have pushed some consumers and shops, restaurants, and bars to rely on bootleg alcohol and homemade drinks, leading to rising poisoning in recent years.
The government again hiked taxes on alcohol and tobacco products for 2025 on January 3.
Last month, the Istanbul governor’s office said it had taken steps to combat bootleg sales and distribution, including mandatory cameras at shops selling alcohol, suspending or revoking sale licences, and carrying out regular inspections.
Authorities have arrested 13 people in Ankara and 11 others in Istanbul, NTV said, citing the local governors. They have seized 102 tons of methanol and ethanol in Ankara, and over 86,000 litres of bootleg or smuggled alcohol in Istanbul, it added.
(Reporting by Tuvan Gumrukcu; Editing by Jonathan Spicer and Alison Williams)
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