site.btaBootleg Alcohol Kills 30 People in Istanbul in 72 Hours

Bootleg alcohol consumption has claimed 30 lives in Istanbul in the last 72 hours, according to Turkiye's Sözcü newspaper. At present, 31 people are in intensive care and 18 more are being treated in hospital.

Three of those who died in the past 24 hours were citizens of Uzbekistan. Ihlas News Agency reported that the largest number of cases were registered in the Bagcilar and Basaksehir districts in the European part of Istanbul.

During police operations against the production and distribution of counterfeit alcohol, 29 tons of fake products were seized and 64 outlets were shut down. Their owners and managers will be prosecuted.

Two Turkmenistan nationals have been detained on charges of producing and distributing bootleg alcohol, Turkish media reported.

In total, 302 tons of bootleg alcohol were confiscated in 2024.