Death toll from bootleg alcohol rises in Istanbul! Flash statement from the Istanbul Governor's Office

The number of people losing their lives due to bootleg alcohol is rising.

According to the information received, 88 people in Istanbul have sought medical attention at hospitals due to reasons related to the consumption of bootleg alcohol.

33 PEOPLE HAVE LOST THEIR LIVES

While 33 of the patients suffering from methanol poisoning have passed away, 4 patients have been discharged after completing their treatment.

It was learned that 29 of the 48 patients currently hospitalized are continuing their treatment while connected to ventilators.

It was noted that one patient refused treatment, while 2 others left the hospital without authorization.

4 PEOPLE ARRESTED FOR 'INTENTIONAL KILLING'

On the other hand, the Istanbul Governor's Office announced that it has taken additional measures to prevent the sale and consumption of counterfeit alcohol.

In the statement, which indicated that operations are ongoing, it was stated that 15 people identified as having introduced large quantities of counterfeit alcohol into the market were detained, and 4 of these individuals were arrested on charges of 'intentional killing'. While the interrogation of 8 of the individuals continues at the police station, 3 people have been released.

The statement, which noted that 302 tons of counterfeit alcohol were seized across the city in 2024, provided information that 29 tons of counterfeit alcohol have been seized since the beginning of the year, and the business licenses of 64 establishments have been revoked and the businesses closed. The following was recorded regarding the additional measures taken in the statement:

“A series of additional measures taken by our Governor's Office have been put into practice regarding the effective fight against the consumption and sale of counterfeit-illicit alcohol, which directly threatens the life safety of our public in Istanbul and has shown an increase in recent months. Our relevant institutions and law enforcement agencies are working day and night with the determination to fight this problem effectively and decisively.

-With the circular of our Governor's Office dated October 10, 2024, it has become mandatory for businesses selling alcohol to install cameras that cover the entire premises and to keep the recordings for one month, effective from January 1, 2025.

-With the circular of our Governor's Office dated January 10, 2025; it has been decided that the business opening and operating licenses of establishments that sell illicit or counterfeit alcohol and thus cause death, are determined through inspections to be selling illicit or counterfeit alcohol, do not have the sales and presentation certificate issued by the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry's Tobacco and Alcohol Department, and, except for exceptions in special laws, sell and present alcohol openly outside the alcohol-permitted zones determined by the relevant municipal council in line with the opinion of the Local Administrative Authority regarding general security and public order, shall be revoked by the relevant municipalities in addition to the administrative procedures to be carried out as required by legislation.

-In addition to these circulars issued by our Governor's Office, our District Governorates have been instructed in writing to establish inspection teams in our districts consisting of representatives from the Provincial Directorate of Trade, District Police Department, District Gendarmerie Command, District Municipality, District Health Directorate, and District Directorate of Agriculture and Forestry, and for these teams to conduct inspections uninterruptedly on a 24-hour basis. The effective and determined fight of our inspection teams against the use and sale of counterfeit-illicit alcohol in our province continues to increase.

We believe that the support you provide to our determined fight against the sale and consumption of illicit or counterfeit alcohol, which directly threatens the life safety of our public, is of vital importance.”

News Source: AA