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Turkey: Falsified drinks are a “scourge”

For another year dozens of people in Turkey die from adulterated, illegal alcohol. A number of police operations are bringing the problem to the surface again.

So far, 43 people have died from adulterated drinks in a week in Turkey, 22 of them in Istanbul. Another 16 Turks are being treated in critical condition. This year, the report so far is tragic, as the illegal producers of adulterated drinks, which is, after all, an “old” plague for Turkey, are choosing, as everything shows, the festive season to push large quantities into the market. This year, the trade in counterfeit drinks is on the rise, not only because of the very high tax on alcohol, but also because of the slump in the Turkish pound.

Imported drinks are close

With the exchange rate against the euro now exceeding 19 pounds, the prices of imported drinks have almost tripled in Turkey. Thus the illegal and lethal production of adulterated drinks becomes more and more attractive. Authorities seized more than seven tonnes of counterfeit beverages in 56 operations in 81 cities across the country in recent weeks, fortunately in Istanbul alone, before being marketed. In total, in the raids made by the police so far, about 34,000 bottles and more than 27 tons of adulterated alcoholics have been confiscated.

In addition, equipment for the distillation and bottling of adulterated beverages was confiscated. A total of 78 apprehensions were made and 14 of those apprehended have already been remanded in custody. The issue of dangerous, adulterated beverages often concerns the authorities and the public. Greed, combined with ignorance, cause many deaths every year in the country. A large bottle of raki, Turkey’s national drink, has come to cost one-tenth of a monthly salary.

source: Deutsche Welle

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