At least 30 people have died in Istanbul over the past three days after consuming bootleg alcohol, with dozens more hospitalized, Turkey’s state-run Anadolu Agency reported on Thursday.
Authorities have launched a sweeping crackdown on counterfeit alcohol, detaining suspects and seizing large quantities of illicit drinks.
Newsweek has reached out to the Turkish Health Ministry for comment via email.
Why It Matters
Deaths from counterfeit alcohol have become alarmingly common in Turkey, driven by a rise in illicit production, linked to soaring prices and heavy government taxation on legitimate brands of alcohol. The Istanbul deaths underscore the public health crisis posed by bootleg alcohol, which can contain toxic substances leading to…
