Twelve dead after drinking toxic fake alcohol in Sochi as Russian authorities launch urgent probe
Russian government officials have issued warnings over a toxic fake alcohol after 12 people died from drinking it, with more fatalities feared.
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Fears were raised about the deadly grappa, called "chacha", after three members of a family of four were among those who died after consuming the drink, purchased at a market in Sochi.
Victims reportedly went blind, became unable to stand or speak, and eventually lost consciousness before dying from methanol poisoning.
The lethal alcohol was bought from the market known as Bazar or Kazachiy in Sochi - the Russian city home to Vladimir Putin's favourite Black Sea holiday resort and host of the 2014 Winter Olympics.
Police raided a stall suspected of selling the tainted product and detained two individuals on suspicion of distributing the counterfeit alcohol.
Holidaymakers have been warned not drink "alcohol-containing products of unknown origin", according to reports from the Metro.
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Among those deceased are Maxim Smetanin, 37, and his wife Darya, 35, who reportedly purchased the alcohol while on holiday in Sochi.
After sipping the beverage on their long-distance train journey home, Darya reportedly "went blind and then lost consciousness".
She was rushed to hospital in Russia’s Voronezh region, but died shortly afterwards.
While her husband initially felt fine, he later "went blind, suffered kidney failure and fell into coma" before also passing away.
The family who fell ill from drinking the same batch of alcohol have not been named, but the three who died have been confirmed as a 42-year-old man and two women aged 57 and 69.
When they all first fell unwell the morning after drinking the dodgy alcohol, the family assumed they had a hangover.
But local reports say they were "unable to stand or speak" by the evening and "began losing consciousness".
Paramedics transports them to a hospital, but only one could be saved.
Other "chacha" fatalities include two other female tourists, from Chelyabinsk, who died after returning to their home city from their trip to Sochi.
Another tourist went blind and died from kidney failure after consuming the same toxic booze.
Police have arrested two women - Olesya, 31, and Eteri, 71 - on suspicion of distributing the fake alcohol.
Russian Interior Ministry spokeswoman Maj-Gen Irina Volk said: "Preliminary findings indicate that the detainees were selling homemade alcoholic beverages at the local Kazachiy market.
"Efforts are currently underway to identify the producer of the life-threatening alcohol and others involved in the illegal activity."