The death toll of persons consuming cheap, poorly-made liquor, has reached and probably passed 42 victims. And this is just over the past week. It is assumed that home confinement has led many persons to consume more alcoholic beverages than normal. And, with a much reduced cash flow, the cheaper the drink, the greater the demand.
Over 42 fatalities have resulted from the consumption of adulterated alcoholic beverages. Lab analysis has shown that 50% of the victims did not consume ethanol but some other chemical with a higher degree of lethality. Methanol is suspect to have been used.
The first fatalities appeared two weeks ago in Santo Domingo province, but then more Dominicans were reported dead of booze intoxication in several other areas around the country.
Reportedly, three illegal liquor factories were shut down. The authorities have announced the arrest of over two dozen persons relating to the preparation of these illegal so-called liquors.
Ten of those arrested were residents of East Santo Domingo, where the set up was discovered to produce the homemade rum, called “cleren”, and where some alcoholic products were “doctored” to resemble well-known brands. Over a dozen and a half fermentation tanks were seized, together with a batch of contraband cigarettes.
Up in Constanza, where seven persons died from the consumption of adulterated alcoholic products, the Police arrested 15 persons and over 500 bottles of fake whiskey, labeled to resemble well-known brands. The persons arrested have been sent to jail pending arraignment on charges.
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Diario Libre
Listin Diario
Listin Diario
20 April 2020