A SUSPECTED methanol poisoning has killed 33 people in Istanbul with 48 more hospitalised, it has been reported.

Authorities say the victims had alcohol spiked with methanol, a toxic industrial chemical, instead of ethanol, the type found in regular alcoholic drinks.

Four suspects accused of selling the lethal drinks have been arrested and charged with “intentional homicide,” Istanbul’s governorate announced Thursday evening.

Since the start of the year, officials have seized a staggering 29 tonnes of adulterated alcohol and shut down 64 businesses for violations.

But store owners say the root of the problem is sky-high alcohol taxes, which they claim are pushing people toward bootleg production.

Investigations are ongoing.

Last year, methanol-laced drinks killed 48 people in Istanbul alone, as underground distilleries scramble to meet demand fueled by government levies.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, a devout Muslim often accused of trying to impose conservative values on society, has long railed against drinking and smoking.

Critics argue his tough stance on alcohol, coupled with heavy taxes, is driving the spike in dangerous, illegal booze.

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