7 People Died In Russia After Drinking Illegal Alcohol

JAKARTA - Seven people died in the Leningrad region, northwest of Russia, after drinking illegal liquor, while others were treated for poisoning.

A resident of the town of Gostitsy, near the Estonian border, has been arrested on suspicion of selling the liquor to fellow villagers, a spokesman for the Ministry of Home Affairs said in a statement.

The Telegram 112 channel said the death toll reached 12 people. It was reported that the wife of the illegal liquor maker had been hospitalized in serious condition after trying her husband's products.

Russia tightened production and sale control of alcohol after 77 people in Siberia died after drinking cheap illegal liquor in 2016, but home-based alcohol consumption remains a serious problem.

In June 2023, at least 30 people died in some parts of western Russia after drinking counterfeited apple juice.

Industry experts say the increase in retail alcohol prices and the increasingly stringent regional restrictions on its sales have led some people to switch to home drinks that sometimes have fatal consequences.