Officials: 22 die in Istanbul from bootleg alcohol poisoning

ANKARA, Turkey (AP) — The Istanbul governor’s office says at least 22 people have died in Istanbul after drinking bootleg alcohol. At least 16 people have been hospitalized and are in serious condition. The governor’s office said Friday that 11 of the dead and five of those who had fallen ill were foreign nationals. It didn’t elaborate or provide details on the victims’ nationalities. The state-run Anadolu Agency said Thursday that 26 people were killed from methanol alcohol poisoning in the past four days in nine Turkish provinces, including Istanbul. Deaths from bootleg alcohol are not uncommon in Turkey. People are faced with ever-climbing alcoholic beverage prices and seek cheaper drinks or turn to homemade booze