Turkey arrests 121 over bootleg liquor production
High prices and alcohol taxes have sparked a surge in clandestine production in Turkey, with at least 152 people killed in January and February from drinking tainted beverages, according to a toll from the Anadolu state press agency.
Yerlikaya said the arrests took place 'over the last two weeks' across Turkey's 81 provinces, with the bulk of the sweeps taking place in Istanbul and the southern tourist hub of Antalya.
'Our teams of policemen have arrested 121 suspects' and '33,554 liters of bootleg alcohol… were seized,' he posted on X.
'The clandestine production of alcohol is not only a crime: it's a deadly trap which threatens public health,' Yerlikaya added, urging people to 'report any suspicious activity' to the authorities.
Bootleg alcohol is often tainted with methanol, a toxic substance that can cause blindness, liver damage and death.
Although Turkey is a nominally secular country, alcohol taxes have risen sharply under President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, a Muslim who vociferously opposes drinking.
Critics say Erdoğan's policies are indirectly fueling the production of bootleg liquor by ramping up prices.
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