If you’re planning to jet off to Turkey soon, you will definitely need to keep your wits about you and be careful after a rise in counterfeit bank notes and fake alcohol – as the latter has caused the deaths of several tourists recently.
The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) has updated its ‘crime’ section of the Turkey safety and security pages, reports The Express.
The Foreign Office say that fake US dollar bills have been circulating in the country, leading to banks and money exchanges refusing to accept $50 and $100 notes. Its advice stresses that tourists should also never accept these notes.
In its update, FCDO explained: “Banks and money exchanges may not accept $50 or $100 US dollar bills due to a reported surge in counterfeit banknotes of these denominations in Turkey. You should not accept these banknotes where possible.”
However, the banknote scams are illegal but not deadly, unlike another crime that is currently on the rise in the country – the spread of fake alcohol.
Just five days ago, reports flooded in that 17 people had died and 22 more hospitalized in a Turkish tourist hotspot of Istanbul after drinking dodgy booze.
Authorities arrested eight people in connection with the bootleg alcohol, after raiding nine different locations, the Daily Mail reports. It’s believed the fake alcohol was actually methanol, which is mostly used to make solvents, pesticides and paint thinners. It tastes similar to alcohol but is severely toxic to humans.
Turkey Trade Ministry data showed in March that 7,386 litres of counterfeit alcohol were seized in the country last year, according to The Metro.
In the warning about fake alcohol in Turkey, the Foreign Office says: “In a small number of cases, counterfeit bottles of branded alcohol have caused deaths of tourists.”
People with concerns are urged to ask for advice from tour operators or from the Turkish authorities.
FCDO warns that if strangers offer you food and drink, these could be spiked. Instead, you should buy “your own drinks and always keep sight of them”.
The Istanbul deaths follow a similar tragedy that occurred in the popular tourist destination of Laos in November.
Six backpackers tragically died in the country after falling ill from suspected methanol poisoning. One of the victims was British lawyer Simone White, 28, from Orpington, Kent.
She was travelling with her friend, Bethany Clarke, a healthcare worker also from Orpington, Kent, who took to the Laos Backpacking Facebook group to warn other travelers before Simone’s passing.
She said: “Urgent — please avoid all local spirits. Our group stayed in Vang Vieng and we drank free shots offered by one of the bars. Just avoid them as so not worth it. Six of us who drank from the same place are in hospital currently with methanol poisoning.”
The Foreign Office subsequently confirmed Simone’s death. It also said it was also providing consular assistance to British nationals hospitalized in the incident, as well as their families.
If you are in Turkey and have concerns about any of these issues above, the FCDO suggest you ask for advice from tour operators or from the Turkish authorities.
Join the Daily Record’s WhatsApp community here and get the latest news sent straight to your messages.