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Reports from local media on Wednesday confirmed the arrest of four individuals under suspicion of selling tainted bootleg alcohol in Iran that has resulted in the death of at least three people. The incident sheds light on the persisting issue of illicit alcohol trade in Iran, where the sale and consumption of alcohol have been prohibited since the 1979 Islamic revolution.
Saber Jafari, the prosecutor for the city of Maku in the northwestern province of West Azerbaijan, revealed that three individuals lost their lives due to alcohol poisoning resulting from the consumption of counterfeit beverages. In addition to the fatalities, Jafari disclosed that twenty individuals exhibiting symptoms of alcohol poisoning have been transferred to Fajr Hospital in the city.
The ban on alcohol has created a thriving underground market for bootleg products, with some unscrupulous traders resorting to adulterating the substances with poisonous methanol. This has led to a recurring public health concern as individuals unknowingly consume hazardous concoctions.
The arrests signal a response from Iranian authorities to address the consequences of the illicit alcohol trade. The investigation and legal proceedings will likely seek to unravel the network involved in the production and distribution of the contaminated beverages. This incident once again highlights the challenges faced by authorities in curbing the underground alcohol market and protecting public health in a country where the ban on alcohol remains firmly in place.
