18 dead in Russia after drinking bootleg alcohol

MOSCOW: Russian authorities said on Saturday they had arrested two people as part of an investigation into the death of 18 people in the Urals who drank bootleg alcohol, in the second such incident in recent weeks.

Investigators said "several individuals sold people an alcohol liquid that was dangerous for their health" over the past two weeks in Yekaterinburg, Russia’s fourth-largest city.

An investigation had been opened into the sale of sub-standard goods and death by negligence, which could entail prison sentences of up to 10 years, it said.

At the beginning of October, at least 36 people in the region of Orenburg died after drinking bootleg alcohol containing methanol, which is highly toxic.