Authorities reported Thursday that three people have died from bootleg alcohol poisoning in Istanbul, as authorities launched operations across Istanbul, Aydın and Izmir to combat illegal alcohol distribution.
Nine others were treated in hospitals in Istanbul’s Şişli, Beyoğlu and Ümraniye districts after being diagnosed with poisoning from counterfeit alcohol. The victims’ conditions worsened despite ongoing medical care.
The Istanbul Police Department’s Anti-Smuggling Bureau and local police units in Beyoğlu and Şişli dismantled a bootleg alcohol distribution network through their ongoing operations. In Şişli’s Bozkurt neighborhood, authorities raided a business suspected of selling counterfeit alcohol, leading to the arrest of two individuals.
In Beyoğlu, police, posing as customers, tracked down a suspect distributing bootleg alcohol on a motorcycle. The suspect was arrested in the act, and a search of the motorcycle and residence resulted in the seizure of large quantities of counterfeit alcohol.
Authorities confiscated 410 liters of ethyl and methyl alcohol, six distillers used for counterfeit alcohol production and numerous unlicensed counterfeit cigars.
Further operations in 2024 have led to the seizure of 300 tons of illegal and counterfeit alcohol, a 483% increase in confiscation rates, according to police reports.
Meanwhile, in western Aydın’s Efeler district, two businesses were raided, resulting in the seizure of 2,520 kilograms of ethyl alcohol and the arrest of three suspects. The police operation targeted businesses involved in counterfeit alcohol production, with additional evidence seized, including alcohol flavoring liquids, filling equipment and unmarked plastic barrels.
In Menemen of western Izmir, a simultaneous raid on a warehouse and distillery led to the discovery of 28,000 liters of ethyl alcohol, along with thousands of unmarked containers and counterfeit labels. Five individuals were arrested in connection with the operation, which was part of an investigation led by the Menemen Chief Public Prosecutor’s Office into the distribution of counterfeit alcohol.
The suspects arrested in all three locations are currently undergoing police processing.