A dozen dead from adulterated alcohol in Indonesia

According to authorities, at least twelve people died on the Indonesian island of Java after drinking adulterated alcoholic beverages. Three more residents of Subang district, where the drink known as Oplosan was sold, fell seriously ill, police said on Tuesday. A couple was arrested. He is said to have mixed the alcohol, among other things, with rat poison made from copper phosphide on sale in the district near the capital Jakarta.

The couple admitted to overdosing on the mixture, said local police chief Ariek Indra Sentanu. It was initially unclear why the two mixed rat poison and a lead-containing agent in alcohol.

Oplosan is a cheap and popular alcoholic drink in Indonesia, where many people cannot afford licensed alcoholic beverages. However, it can be dangerous or even fatal if it contains toxic substances such as methanol, formalin or pesticides.

According to the World Health Organization, hundreds of people die in Indonesia every year from alcohol poisoning caused by drinking contaminated alcohol. In April 2018, around 100 people died in Jakarta and neighboring cities after consuming imitation products from expensive brands.