At least 54 people have died, and 40 others remain in intensive care in the capital city of Ankara after consuming counterfeit alcohol, according to forensic reports cited by the Ankara Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office.
The deaths are being investigated as part of a broader probe led by the Ankara, Polatlı, and Ankara West Prosecutor’s Offices into smuggling and "causing death with probable intent."
Authorities have arrested 28 suspects in connection with the production and distribution of counterfeit alcohol, while 25 others have been released under judicial control, Anadolu Agency reported.
High taxes and weak regulation
The Chamber of Chemical Engineers (TMMOB) has previously warned that Turkey’s high taxes on alcoholic beverages, combined with insufficient regulatory oversight, are driving an increase in counterfeit alcohol production.
In a statement issued late last year following similar fatalities, the chamber called for stricter enforcement and a reduction in Turkey’s special consumption tax on alcohol.
The government has gradually increased taxes on alcoholic beverages over the years. As of 2025, the fixed-rate Special Consumption Tax (ÖTV) for alcoholic beverages with 22% or more alcohol content has risen to 1,428 liras, up from 1,269.73 liras, which had been in effect since July 3, 2024. This means over 60% of the retail price of a bottle of rakı, a traditional spirit with an alcohol content about 45%, consists of taxes.
Methanol-laced alcohol behind fatalities
According to TMMOB, many counterfeit alcohol-related deaths result from the use of methanol, a toxic industrial chemical, in place of ethanol. The chamber explained the difference between counterfeit and smuggled alcohol, noting that while smuggled alcohol includes homemade distilled beverages, counterfeit alcohol involves fraudulent branding and packaging to imitate legitimate products. Such products have led to the deaths of hundreds of people over the years.
Both, however, pose serious health risks. "Alcohol production requires chemical expertise and must be conducted under industrial conditions with proper regulatory approval," the chamber stated.
TMMOB warned that methanol consumption is particularly dangerous. "Methanol oxidizes in the body into formic acid and formaldehyde, which cause severe damage. Initial symptoms include effects on the central nervous system, and as consumption increases, it can lead to respiratory failure, seizures, paralysis, blindness, coma, and ultimately death," the statement said.
The chamber also criticized the government's approach to discouraging alcohol consumption through taxation. "Increasing taxes is not an effective way to reduce alcohol consumption," it stated, adding that such policies have failed in other countries and instead push people toward illegal and dangerous alternatives.
"Counterfeit alcohol poses a serious risk of death and long-term organ damage. Preventing illicit alcohol production requires strict inspections by the Agriculture and Forestry Ministry and public awareness campaigns to educate people on the dangers," the statement concluded. (AEK/VK)