At least 23 people have died in Kuwait after consuming toxic liquor. Following the incident, police arrested 67 individuals accused of illegally producing alcohol. Most of the victims were Asian nationals.
According to Kuwait’s Ministry of Interior, security forces raided operations in the capital and surrounding industrial areas, dismantling six active and four inactive factories involved in illicit alcohol production. The ring was reportedly led by a Bangladeshi national. Investigators said a Nepali member of the group revealed how methanol — a poisonous form of industrial alcohol — was mixed into the drinks before being sold.
In Kuwait, a Muslim-majority country, both the import and production of alcohol are strictly prohibited. Nevertheless, bootleg liquor is secretly manufactured without any form of health or safety regulation, putting consumers at serious risk of poisoning.
The Ministry of Health reported that 160 cases of methanol poisoning have been identified so far. Of them, 23 people have died, at least 51 required emergency kidney dialysis, and 31 were placed on respiratory support.
The Indian Embassy in Kuwait stated that around 40 Indian nationals have been hospitalized in recent days. Some have died, others remain in critical condition, while a few are gradually recovering.
Doctors explained that the symptoms of methanol poisoning often appear late and include vomiting, abdominal pain, and respiratory distress. Without treatment, the mortality rate can be as high as 20 to 40 percent.
Medical relief organization Doctors Without Borders noted that thousands of people worldwide — particularly across Asia — fall ill or die each year from consuming toxic or counterfeit alcohol.