Turkey: Methanol-tainted alcohol claims eleven lives in Istanbul

Istanbul witnessed a tragic incident as 11 individuals succumbed to tainted alcohol poisoning within the past 24 hours, Anadolu state news agency reported late Tuesday.

The crisis unfolded as 38 people, including 26 foreign nationals, were hospitalized after consuming the toxic substance.

In a statement on X, the Istanbul governorate disclosed that in 2024 alone, 110 cases of tainted alcohol poisoning have been recorded in the city, with 48 resulting in fatalities. Methanol, a highly toxic additive sometimes used to boost the potency of alcoholic beverages, is suspected as the cause. This substance can lead to blindness, severe liver damage, and even death.

The issue is part of a broader trend in Turkey, where private alcohol production has surged in response to increasing taxes on legal alcoholic beverages.

The most frequently counterfeited product is raki, Turkey’s iconic aniseed-flavored liquor. The cost of raki has soared to approximately 1,300 lira ($37.20) per liter in supermarkets, rendering it inaccessible to many.

With a minimum monthly wage of 17,000 lira ($489) in Turkey, many resort to cheaper, illicit alternatives, inadvertently putting their lives at risk.