Heartbreak as 14 people tragically die from drinking bootleg alcohol at wedding

A couple has been arrested after selling bootleg liquor, which killed over a dozen guests, the youngest just 16 years old.

A couple has been arrested after distributing bootleg alcohol that tragically killed 14 people at a wedding over the weekend. 

What was supposed to be a celebration of love has turned into a tragic event after several guests became seriously ill after drinking the knock-off beverages.

Before the fateful wedding on Saturday, 28 October, guests purchased the bootleg alcohol from a local shop. 

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Over a dozen guests died after consuming illegal alcohol at a wedding in Indonesia. Source: iStock

More than a dozen people dead after drinking bootleg alcohol

During the celebration, 19 guests consumed the illicit drinks, soon becoming gravely ill and being rushed to hospital. 

Devastatingly, over a dozen didn’t survive, with the youngest fatality being 16 years old.

While it was originally reported that 11 had passed away, that number has since increased, with the total now reaching 14. 

There are still four other people in critical condition, Indonesian police confirmed. 

Feri, a guest who survived the tragic event, described the moment he started feeling the effects of the dodgy drinks, suffering from extreme headaches and nausea throughout the evening. 

He was one of the many guests hospitalised, and thankfully Feri survived. 

“I'm feeling much better now,” he said from his hospital bed, per Jakarta Globe. 

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A couple has been arrested after the deadly wedding. Source: Sinar Lampung

Police arrest couple who sold deadly drinks

Two people have been arrested in the wake of the tragedy, with police confirming suspects, only identified by their initials NN,59, and RH,43, confessing to operating the unauthorised liquor shop. 

“Both of them concocted bootleg liquor using a number of chemicals,” said Inspector Satu Herman Saputra, Head of the Criminal Investigation Unit of the Subang Regional Police, per Indonesian news outlet Sinar Lampang.

“This is extremely dangerous for the health of the people who consume the drink.” 

Laboratories are currently testing three samples of the unauthorised alcohol, which Saputra said was “very important.”

“This is to uncover the cause of the victims experiencing health disruptions leading to death,” he added. 

Following the devastating event, locals stormed the shop where the alcohol was purchased and reportedly destroyed it in retaliation. 

Due to high taxes in Indonesia, it’s commonplace for people to make their own alcohol. 

However, creating the perfect concoction isn’t as easy as it sounds, with some beverages leading to fatal consequences. 

A similarly tragic incident occurred in 2018 when over 60 people lost their lives after consuming the dodgy drinks. 

This prompted officials to conduct several raids across the country in an attempt to crack down on the growing issue.

Originally published as Heartbreak as 14 people tragically die from drinking bootleg alcohol at wedding