Türkiye has intensified its crackdown on bootleg alcohol after at least 124 deaths in Istanbul and Ankara since the start of the year, reigniting concerns about counterfeit liquor in the country.
In Ankara, the death toll from tainted alcohol has risen to 54, with 40 others in intensive care, the semi-official Anadolu Agency reported this week, citing judicial sources.
In Istanbul, 70 deaths have been reported, according to Anadolu.
Last weekend, police raids in Istanbul, Samsun, Adana, Cankiri, and Kastamonu led to the arrest of a dozen suspects involved in producing toxic spirits, Anadolu reported.
The latest surge in deaths follows a similar incident in 2020 where around 100 people died from bootleg alcohol, prompting stricter measures against illicit producers.
Following the recent deaths, both Istanbul and Ankara governors’ offices announced further steps to prevent illegal sales.
Justice Minister Yilmaz Tunc told broadcaster NTV that 88 suspects have been arrested in Istanbul and Ankara on charges of “deliberate murder,” and thousands of liters of counterfeit alcohol have been seized in over 10 provinces.
Around 100 establishments have been shut down in the two cities, he added.
“Everyone responsible for selling illegal alcohol and causing deaths will be identified and brought to justice,” Tunc stressed.
Alcohol sales in Türkiye are restricted to licensed and supervised shops.
Recent regulations have further tightened controls, including mandatory 24/7 video surveillance for alcohol vendors (implemented in October 2024) and the revocation of licenses for establishments selling clandestine alcohol (introduced last month).
Despite the crackdown, some believe eradicating the problem will be difficult due to the high cost of legal alcohol.
Local media reported that a grocery shop in Ankara was producing counterfeit spirits sold in small plastic water bottles, linked to many of the fatalities. Bootleg alcohol is significantly cheaper than the heavily taxed national alcoholic drink, raki. Rising costs due to high inflation have also pushed some restaurants and bars to use bootleg and homemade drinks, contributing to the increase in poisonings.
Experts say tainted alcohol often contains poisonous methanol instead of ethanol, which can cause blindness and death. Even without methanol, dangerously high concentrations of ethyl alcohol can cause serious health problems.
The United States, Britain, and the Netherlands have issued travel advisories warning tourists about the risks as Türkiye prepares for its summer tourism season. Tourism is a crucial industry for Türkiye, generating billions of dollars annually.
While alcohol is more readily available in Türkiye than in many other Muslim-majority countries, consumption levels are among the lowest in Europe, according to recent EU statistics.