At Least 25 People Dead After Drinking $1 Bottles of Vodka Laced with Methanol

A tragic wave of methanol poisoning in Russia has left at least 25 people dead and several others hospitalized after they drank bootleg vodka laced with the toxic chemical.

The mass poisoning took place in the town of Slantsy, in the Leningrad region, on Friday, September 26. Victims had consumed vodka sold illegally that turned out to contain methanol, a chemical commonly used in cleaning products and antifreeze. Tests confirmed dangerously high levels of methanol in the victims’ systems.

Authorities arrested two suspects, 78-year-old Nikolai Boytsov and 60-year-old Olga Stepanova. Investigators say Stepanova supplied the liquor, while Boytsov allegedly sold it for about $1 per bottle. Shockingly, police also claim Boytsov’s own wife was among the victims. Eight more suspects were later arrested for producing and distributing the tainted alcohol, with at least one ordered into preventive custody.

Methanol is odorless, colorless, and often used by bootleggers to cut costs, but it is deadly. Just a few ounces can kill an adult, while smaller amounts can cause blindness, seizures, and severe organ damage.

Russia has faced an alarming rise in fatal bootleg alcohol incidents in recent years, fueled by rising retail prices and tight restrictions on liquor sales. In 2023, more than 30 people died after drinking homemade cider in western Russia, and similar tragedies have been reported worldwide, including one in Laos that killed several tourists, among them an American.

Officials are warning residents to avoid homemade or unsealed alcohol and to purchase drinks only from licensed sellers, as investigators continue to crack down on the deadly trade.