Turkish security forces seized anti-aircraft ammunition during a bootleg alcohol operation in Turkey's eastern Muğla province and western Izmir province.
The anti-smuggling and organized crime units of the provincial security directorate launched an operation on the suspects' homes acting on the information that bootleg alcohol was being sold in Muğla and Izmir.
Security forces detained four people from the location. The search at home also revealed 25 bottles of bootleg alcohol, 30 liters of vodka, 15 liters of whiskey, 20 liters of ethyl alcohol, a water engine used in alcohol production, thousands of liquor bottle labels and 270 illicit pills for sexual disfunction.
Proceedings against the detained suspects are ongoing at the police station.
The Interior Ministry announced in December that a nationwide operation, code-named "Alcohol," was launched due to the increase in deaths from bootleg alcohol across Turkey. At least 68 people have died in the country since the second week of December after consuming bootleg drinks they either illegally purchased or brewed at home.
Bootleg alcohol consumption has thrived in the country, where the prices of alcoholic beverages are relatively high for regular drinkers.
Taking advantage of the situation, bootleg alcohol producers often turn to cheaper but deadlier substances for production.
Experts say methyl alcohol found in bootleg drinks is either fatal or has a long-term impact on consumers' health. Those who escaped death often suffer a loss of vision and for others, bootleg drinks cause perception disorders and kidney failure. Even a small amount of methyl alcohol can prove deadly for drinkers.
Legal drinks contain both ethyl and methyl alcohol, but they are distilled and separated from the end product during the production process, something illegal producers and sellers abstain from.
