Drinks blamed
Turkey’s Agriculture Ministry today announced that methanol-tainted alcoholic beverages linked to the death of three Russian tour guides had been imported from the occupied areas of Cyprus.
According to an article on the announcement in Milliyet, a Turkish newspaper, a group of 180 Russian tour guides were taken on a mini-cruise in Bodrum, Turkey soon after which 30 were rushed to hospital with symptoms of poisoning. Of these, 18 were in a critical condition. Two died in a Turkish hospital and a third in Russia after being transferred there for treatment.
Milliyet reported that the Turkish Ministry announcement had named the company ‘Jasmin’ as the importers of the drinks. The statement listed the beverages as Eagle Blow vodka and gin, Raki 7 raki (ouzo) and Mister Burdon whiskey.
The announcement said that the drinks were imported to Turkey from the occupied areas on April 6, 2010 in a batch containing 240 bottles of whisky, 5,760 bottles of gin and 6,000 bottles of vodka.
The beverages were distributed by Birlik, a Turkish company based in Ankara. Speaking to a Turkish television channel, the chairman of the Turkish Cypriot Chamber of Industry (KTSO), Ali Cirali said that the Turkish Ministry’s announcement was “unfortunate” and that drinks manufactured in the occupied areas “do not contain methanol,” the substance identified as giving poisoned the victims.
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