At least 22 people died and another 24 are receiving hospital treatment after drinking tainted alcohol, media reported on Wednesday.
Eight people suspected of having supplied the alcoholic beverages have been detained, according to the state-run Anadolu Agency (AA).
Last week, authorities announced that they had seized 410 liters of ethanol and methanol, as well as 165 bottles of contraband alcohol and equipment used in the production of alcoholic drinks.
Again, last week, extensive operations were conducted in many cities including Istanbul, Aydın and Izmir to combat illegal alcohol distribution.
Bootleg alcohol consumption has thrived in the country, where prices of alcoholic beverages are considerably high for regular drinkers. Criminal groups also seek to profit from drinks smuggled into the country.
Taking advantage of the situation, bootleg alcohol producers often turn to cheaper but deadlier substances for production, which contributed to the high number of fatalities from fake alcoholic drinks in recent years.
At the end of 2021, at least 25 people died over the space of a few days in several different regions. A year before that, around 40 people died of alcohol poisoning.
