The UK Foreign Office issued a travel alert on Friday
The Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) has issued a concerning alert following a spate of serious illnesses and fatalities linked to counterfeit alcohol in a popular holiday hotspot. Officials have reported deaths and serious health incidents across Turkey, including in major cities like Ankara and Istanbul, due to the consumption of homemade local spirits.
The updated travel advice issued on Friday warns: “There has been an increase in the number of deaths and serious illnesses in Turkey, including in Ankara and Istanbul, caused by drinking illegally produced local spirits and counterfeit bottles of branded alcohol.”
Travellers currently in or planning a visit to Turkey are being instructed to take action to keep themselves safe, including only buying or drinking alcohol from licensed hotels, bars and shops, checking that bottles are fully sealed, avoiding any bottles with poor quality labels or misspellings, and steering clear of any homemade alcoholic drinks.
Should you or anyone you are travelling with become unwell after drinking alcohol, you should seek urgent medical help. The FCDO also reminds those travelling to Turkey on a British passport that their passport needs to be valid for a minimum of 150 days post-arrival, with at least one entirely empty page.
The guidance also states: “If entering at a land border, make sure officials stamp and date your passport at the border crossing. Check with your travel provider that your passport and other travel documents meet requirements.
“Renew your passport if you need to. You will be denied entry if you do not have a valid travel document or try to use a passport that has been reported lost or stolen.”
