Kuwaiti authorities have apprehended 67 individuals accused of illegal production and distribution of locally-made alcoholic beverages that resulted in 23 fatalities.
The arrests were made after the Ministry of Health reported 160 cases of methanol poisoning linked to the tainted drinks, with most of the victims being Asian nationals.
According to the Interior Ministry, the suspects included a Bangladeshi national believed to be the head of the criminal network.
A Nepali member of the group revealed how methanol was prepared and sold. The ministry seized six factories and four others that were not yet operational in residential and industrial areas.
The Ministry of Health reported that at least 51 individuals required urgent kidney dialysis, while 31 needed mechanical ventilation due to methanol poisoning.
Symptoms of poisoning include nausea, vomiting, abdominal pain, hyperventilation, and breathing problems. Methanol, a toxic colorless alcohol used in industrial and household products, is difficult to detect.
The Embassy of India in Kuwait confirmed that around 40 Indian nationals were hospitalized in the past few days, with some fatalities reported. “There have been some fatalities, some are in a critical condition while others are recovering,” the embassy stated.
If left untreated, methanol poisoning can have fatality rates ranging from 20% to 40%, according to the medical charity Doctors Without Borders (MSF). Thousands of people suffer from methanol poisoning annually, particularly in Asia.
Kuwait, a Muslim nation, strictly prohibits the import and domestic production of alcoholic beverages.
However, some are manufactured illegally in secret locations lacking safety standards, posing a significant risk to consumers.
The authorities’ efforts to crack down on such operations aim to prevent further tragedies.
Kuwait’s strict laws prohibiting the production and sale of alcoholic beverages have led authorities to crack down on illegal operations.
In a recent incident, 67 individuals were arrested for producing and distributing locally-made alcoholic beverages linked to 23 deaths due to methanol poisoning.
This follows a pattern of methanol poisoning incidents globally, often resulting from consuming adulterated or bootlegged liquor.
For instance, similar incidents have occurred in countries like Turkey, where at least 44 deaths were reported in 2020 due to bootleg drinks made with methanol.