More than 30 Russians died as a result of alcohol poisoning after drinking "Mr. Cider" beverage. For the time being, 32 lethal outcomes have been reported. Nine people died in the Samara region, where the beverage was produced.
Russian consumer watchdog Rospotrebnadzor announced the seizure of nearly 38,000 litres of "Mr. Cider" drink throughout Russia. The largest volumes of the drink were arrested in the Kurgan region, in the Republic of Udmurtia and in Crimea.
Cases of alcohol poisoning were also reported in six regions of Russia: Ulyanovsk, Samara, Nizhny Novgorod and Penza regions, as well as in Chuvashia and Udmurtia republics. Sixty-one people suffered from the intake of the poisonous beverage.
The circulation of "Mr. Cider" beverage produced by OOO Andi was blocked across the country. The head of the company, a 32-year-old entrepreneur identified as Anar Guseinov.
Experts found the presence of life-threatening impurities in "Mr. Cider" beverage — methanol and ethyl butyrate, TASS reported on June 6.
The first case of cider poisoning was reported in the Penza region on June 2, when two young women aged 17 and 18 were hospitalised after drinking the beverage.