Massive illicit alcohol ring taken down in Turkey

Police in Turkey seized 40 tons of illicit spirits and 100 tons of raw materials used in their production at a facility in the coastal city of Izmir.

The seizure is said to be the largest of its type in Turkey to date, with the counterfeit booze – some 139,000 litres of fake whisky and raki aniseed liqueur in total - estimated to be worth around $2.7m at manufacturers' usual selling prices.

The fake booze was being produced in large plastic tanks that the police said was more typically associated with fuel smuggling. Also seized were iron boilers, a water tower, steam autoclave, weighing equipment and empty containers.

All told, eight individuals have been detained in connection with the investigation, which has been ongoing for around three months and concentrated on two addresses in the Bornova and Kemalpaşa districts. Four have since been released and the remainder sent to court.

Local news reports indicate that the ring collected waste alcohol from various facilities in Izmir on the pretence of recycling the material, but instead processed it and sold it on in bottles with falsified labels. The factory was purported to be producing firelighters for barbecues.