A woman named Olga Stepanova, aged 60, has been taken into custody following the tragic deaths of 19 individuals who consumed counterfeit vodka. Additionally, one person is currently in critical condition in a hospital. Authorities in the Leningrad region of Russia are investigating Stepanova for her alleged involvement in the distribution of illicit alcohol. She is accused of supplying moonshine to a 78-year-old man named Nikolai Boytsov, who then sold the fake vodka for 90 pence per bottle.
Both Stepanova and Boytsov have been apprehended by local law enforcement. Boytsov faces accusations of causing harm to his 75-year-old wife by giving her the illicit alcohol.
The sale of ‘bootleg’ spirits has been on the rise in Russia as alcohol prices have surged due to ongoing conflicts, especially among elderly individuals.
A spokesperson from the Interior Ministry, Maj-Gen Irina Volk, has confirmed the detention of a Gostisti resident for allegedly peddling a liquid containing alcohol.
Reports later revealed that two individuals have been arrested in connection with the incident. The death toll currently stands at 19, with one person in critical condition.
According to Russian media outlet Ostorozhno Novosti, methanol was detected in the blood of eight deceased individuals. Authorities are conducting further investigations into the sudden deaths.
One victim’s distressing experience was detailed by the Telegram channel Topor, where a 54-year-old man named Yuri Spiridonov succumbed to the effects of the tainted vodka shortly after declaring he was dying to his wife. Subsequently, more deaths followed.
Boytsov had faced accusations of engaging in illegal alcohol trading prior to this incident.
In a separate incident in August, over a dozen tourists tragically passed away from methanol poisoning after unknowingly consuming fake alcohol at a popular resort in Sochi, Russia. The victims had visited Sochi, a favored destination of Vladimir Putin.
Among the casualties, reports indicated that one person became blind and died from kidney failure after ingesting fake Chacha, a potent clear brandy. Moreover, two female tourists succumbed to methanol poisoning upon returning home.
Two individuals identified as Olesya, 31, and Eteri, 71, were brought before a Sochi court on suspicion of distributing counterfeit alcohol. Following these events, the Russian Interior Ministry issued a cautionary advisory urging citizens to avoid consuming alcohol of uncertain origins.