In Turkey, illicit alcohol has claimed the lives of over 100 people in recent weeks, according to NTV

NTV said Friday that more than 100 individuals have died in Ankara and Istanbul from alcohol poisoning caused by bootlegging, after a warning from authorities about the rise in sales of illegal alcohol masquerading as well-known brands.

Without identifying its source, NTV said that 70 individuals in Istanbul have died as a result of the poisoning since January 14. According to Ankara governor Vasip Sahin, NTV reported that 33 more people have lost their lives in the capital since the year began.

A statement from the governor’s office in Istanbul was not immediately available.

The network said that 230 more people were hospitalized in the two locations. According to NTV, forty of the hospitalized individuals were in critical condition.

Since President Tayyip Erdogan’s Islamist-led AK Party took power, the cost of alcoholic beverages has skyrocketed as a result of high taxes. Along with other limitations, manufacturers of alcoholic beverages have had to deal with an increasingly onerous tax burden.

The exorbitant expenses have caused some customers, stores, eateries, and bars to turn to homemade cocktails and illegal alcohol, which has increased the number of poisoning cases in recent years.

January 3 saw the government raise taxes on tobacco and alcohol items until 2025 once again.

The Istanbul governor’s office announced last month that it had put cameras in stores that sold alcohol, suspended or revoked sale permits, and conducted routine inspections as part of its efforts to stop illegal sales and distribution.

NTV said that authorities had detained 11 persons in Istanbul and 13 in Ankara, citing the local governors. In Istanbul, they have confiscated more than 86,000 liters of alcohol that was smuggled or bootlegged, while in Ankara, they have recovered 102 tons of methanol and ethanol, it said.