Dominican Republic declares bootleg alcoholic beverages as a national security issue
The Dominican Republic government declared the issues surrounding the manufacture and commercialization of bootleg alcoholic beverages as a matter of national security.
In a press meeting, the government and representatives of the business sector requested the collaboration of the media and the general population to combat this problem and provide the best solutions for the benefit of all.
In this regard, President Luis Abinader has instructed extensive operations to remove adulterated beverages from the market and thus eradicate this criminal practice in the country.
During the month of April 2021, more than 80 deaths have been registered due to the consumption of beverages adulterated with methanol. In the first half of 2020, more than 270 people died from the same cause.
Official information from the Ministry of Public Health indicates that the intake of alcoholic beverages with concentrations of methanol greater than 50% has been the fatal trigger.
The main causes linked to the unfortunate deaths are the consumption of adulterated alcohol such as clerén and adulterated drinks that have been manufactured clandestinely, to which methanol has been added. To a lesser extent, there are those adulterated and counterfeit drinks.
The participants of the meeting held at the National Palace agreed that people should not consume alcoholic beverages of dubious origin.
Government measures
To face this problem, the Executive has established several lines of action, among them, reinforcing controls on the import and marketing of methanol; implementation of an intelligence and traceability program in the methanol import and commercialization chain, under the coordination of two working groups.
Likewise, intensification and coordination of operations in factories and shops throughout the national territory to control the commercialization of adulterated alcohol, as well as the integration of a public-private alliance, focused on the exchange of information.
During the meeting, the Administrative Minister of the Presidency, José Ignacio Paliza, announced that in the next few days the President of the Republic, Luis Abinader, will issue a decree for the application of Law 17-19 on the eradication of this crime.
It was also announced that Pro Consumidor, together with the private sector, is working on an orientation campaign for citizens to avoid the consumption of adulterated beverages, while the operations will continue.
On the other hand, among the pertinent measures carried out by the Tourism Cabinet in the hotel sector, the review of all inventories and purchasing processes in hotels in the country stands out, where no case of this has yet been reported.
To follow up on the issue, the Minister of Tourism, David Collado, expects to meet soon with all tour operators of the eastern region.