25 die in Turkey after drinking bad batch of bootleg alcohol

At least 25 people died in Turkey this week after drinking a bad batch of bootleg alcohol, as production soars owing to high taxes, local media reported on Thursday.

Seven of the deaths occurred in Istanbul, the HaberTurk channel reported.

Bootleg alcohol is sometimes mixed with methanol -- which is more toxic and used by industry -- instead of ethanol, which is usually used for human consumption.

The Turkish interior ministry said police seized more than 30,000 litres (8,000 gallons) of counterfeit and bootleg alcohol after raids at 342 locations.

Sixty people were detained.

More than 40 people died in less than a week in Turkey towards the end of 2020.