Over 6,400 liters of bootleg alcohol seized in Turkey

ISTANBUL/MUGLA/IZMIR, Turkey

Security forces seized over 6,400 liters of bootleg alcohol in operations across Turkey on Wednesday.

One suspect was arrested as some 5,200 liters of counterfeit alcohol, worth around 750,000 Turkish liras (over $95,000), was found by gendarmerie teams in a depot in Istanbul’s Bahcelievler district, authorities said.

In a separate operation, gendarmerie forces raided an illegal distillery producing bootleg alcohol in the Seferihisar district of Izmir province.

Some 750 liters of fake alcohol was seized and legal proceedings were initiated against one suspect.

Gendarmerie teams also seized 135 liters of bootleg alcohol in a raid on a house in Citlik area in the southwestern Mugla province.

Turkey has cracked down on bootleg liquor production since at least 80 people died of alcohol poisoning in the country last month, according to data compiled by Anadolu Agency.

Bootleg alcohol is made using low-cost methyl alcohol instead of ethyl alcohol, which causes serious harm to human health and even death.