11 die from bootleg alcohol in a single day in Istanbul

In Istanbul, 11 people died in one day after being hospitalized due to consumption of bootleg alcohol. The Istanbul Governor’s Office announced that the licenses of 63 establishments selling fake alcohol were revoked.

Wednesday January 15 2025 03:29 am

Duvar English

On Jan. 14 in Istanbul, 11 people died after being hospitalized due to bootleg alcohol consumption.

According to the state-run Anadolu Agency, 38 people, including 26 foreigners, sought medical attention at various hospitals in the city due to issues related to consuming fake alcohol.

Ten of the deceased were reportedly from Turkmenistan, and two suspects have been taken into custody in connection with the incident.

It was discovered that the fake alcohol was sold by two individuals from Turkmenistan at a business, and it was also found to have been produced at a nearby house. During searches at their addresses, approximately 50 liters of fake alcohol, many illegal drugs, counterfeit immigrant identity cards, and large amounts of medical drugs were seized.

The Küçükçekmece District Public Prosecutor's Office has initiated an investigation against the suspects on charges of "manslaughter by negligence," "drug trafficking," "producing and selling fake alcohol," "unidentified medical drugs," "human smuggling," and "forgery of official documents."

In another instance, another man died from consuming fake alcohol while his two friends were hospitalized.

In an initial written statement regarding the issue, the Istanbul Governor’s Office announced, "In 2024, 110 people were poisoned due to illegal alcohol and fake alcohol consumption in Istanbul, and 48 of them lost their lives”

63 businesses shut down in Istanbul counterfeit alcohol operation

Istanbul Governor Davut Gül later announced that the licenses of 63 businesses selling fake alcohol have been revoked in the city after the deaths of 11 people.

In a social media post, Gül stated, "Anyone responsible for causing death through the sale of fake/illegal alcohol is being identified and handed over to justice. Please be cautious! Death cases are increasing."

Gül also referred to a circular issued by the governor’s office to enhance efforts in combating illegal and fake alcohol consumption.

Sahte içki satan 63 işletmenin ruhsatları iptal edilerek kapatılmıştır.

Sahte/kaçak içki satarak ölüme sebep olan herkes tespit edilerek adalete teslim edilmektedir.

Lütfen dikkat! Ölüm vakaları artıyor…#İstanbul 🇹🇷 https://t.co/A6MpQeQTz6
— Davut GÜL (@gul_davut) January 14, 2025

While the alcohol prices in Turkey skyrocketed in recent years due to dramatically increasing taxes, the prices also increased with the coming of the new year.