Another 'Illicit Liquor Incident' in Indonesia... 13 Dead After Drinking at Wedding Banquet

18 Hospitalized with Symptoms Including Respiratory Distress and Vomiting

At a wedding banquet in Indonesia, 13 residents died after drinking illegally produced alcohol.

According to the daily Kompas and others on the 31st (local time), the National Hospital in the Subang area of West Java announced that on the 28th, 18 people were admitted with symptoms such as difficulty breathing, vomiting, and unconsciousness, of whom 13 died. The hospital also reported that 5 people are receiving treatment, with 1 in critical condition.

Local police stated that on the day of the incident, the victims attended a wedding banquet held at a private home and drank a homemade liquor called 'Oplosan' (a mixture), which led to the incident.

[Image source=Pixabay]

The police arrested a distributor who sold the liquor on the 30th on charges of distributing homemade alcohol and explained that they are investigating what harmful substances were contained in the liquor.

Indonesia is predominantly Muslim, but thanks to a culture of tolerance toward other religions, alcoholic beverages are easily available in major cities. However, due to the very high alcohol tax rates, many common people consume illegally produced alcohol.

Illegally produced homemade liquor is usually made by mixing alcohol with soft drinks and other ingredients. However, some homemade liquor producers have used highly toxic substances such as methanol or mosquito repellent ingredients, causing repeated harm.

Meanwhile, this is not the first case of death caused by drinking illegally produced alcohol. In 2018, the number of residents who died after drinking homemade liquor in Indonesia exceeded 100. In 2020, five teenagers died after consuming homemade liquor mixed with chemicals.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.