92 people died of counterfeit alcohol in Turkey in 69 days

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92 people have reportedly lost their lives due to counterfeit alcohol in 14 provinces of Turkey since October 9, 2020.

As reported by the state-run Anadolu Agency (AA), 14 people were hospitalized in Turkey's western province of Bursa for suspected methanol poisoning. Of these 14 people, Mehmet İ. (59), Ferdi N. (37) and İrfan Ç. (39) have lost their lives. While 11 people are still in treatment in hospitals, six of them are reportedly in critical condition.

In Kayseri on November 16, a person named H.E. lost his life at the hospital where he had been in treatment for methanol poisoning for eight days.

In Aydın province on November 11, Şevket Ö.Y. (48), also suffering from alcohol poisoning, lost his life after struggling for his life for 21 days.

In the district of Ayvalık in Balıkesir, A.S. (52) and B.Z. (28), who were both hospitalized for alcohol poisoning, lost their lives on November 9.

In Ödemiş in İzmir province, a citizen named Ali Y. also lost his life on November 9 while being treated for suspected alcohol poisoning.

Taken together with the incidents in October, 40 people have so far lost their lives due to alcohol poisoning in İzmir, 10 people have lost their lives in İstanbul and Aydın each, eight people have lost their lives in Mersin, seven people in Kırıkkale, three people in Kırklareli and Bursa each, two people in Muğla, Zonguldak, Tekirdağ and Balıkesir and one person has died of alcohol poisoning in Samsun, Trabzon and Kayseri each.

Operations against bootleg alcohol

Several operations have been carried out by the security forces against the bootleg alcohol in several provinces of Turkey. From January 1 to October 27, 2020, the Ankara Security Directorate's Anti-Smuggling Bureau teams raided 427 entertainment venues serving alcoholic beverages, 162 kiosks, markets and wholesalers and 4 warehouses.

While a legal action was taken against 159 suspects, 10 of them were arrested and sent to prison. 58,346 liters of counterfeit/bootleg alcohol, 18,856 liters of ethanol, 340 liters of methanol were seized during the raids. 92 suspects were also fined 230,639 Turkish Lira (TRY).

The security forces also carried out 101 operations in Adana province in 10 months of 2020, seizing 125,161 liters of bootleg/counterfeit alcohol and detaining 100 suspects. While three of them were arrested, 97 of them were released. (EMK/SD)