Counterfeit alcohol claims 17 lives in Iran

At least 191 people have been poisoned and 17 have died after consuming counterfeit alcohol in Iran, according to the country’s IRNA news service.

There have been nine arrests in connection with the incident, according to Chief Justice Hossein Fazeli Herikandi of Alborz province, where the fatalities occurred. The owner of a hairspray production factory in Eshtehard County in Alborz is among those detained on suspicion of selling industrial-grade alcohol laced with methanol that was used in producing counterfeit liquor.

Ingesting methanol can lead to damage to the eyes, skin, respiratory system, central nervous system and gastrointestinal tracts, with high levels of exposure leading to coma and death, mainly caused by CNS damage. Producing, selling and drinking alcoholic beverages is illegal in Iran.