At least 25 people have died in Russia after consuming vodka laced with methanol.
At least 25 people have died in Russia’s Leningrad region after drinking bootleg vodka contaminated with methanol. Authorities say more fatalities are feared.
Olga Stepanova, 60, a nursery school teacher, has been arrested on suspicion of distributing the poisoned alcohol. She is accused of supplying the moonshine to a man who sold it for just 90p a bottle. His wife is reported among the victims.
“Forensic medical examination of the bodies of six deceased persons … had revealed high or lethal levels of methanol,” Russia’s main investigative body said.
Police seized over 1,000 litres of counterfeit alcohol and detained eight more suspects involved in home production and distribution.
Methanol, a chemical found in fuel and cleaning products, can cause seizures, blindness, or death even in small doses.
The incident follows a string of tragedies involving toxic alcohol in Russia, including a 2016 case in Irkutsk where more than 60 people died after drinking contraband bath oil.