Russia calls for fake spirits murder charge

The Russian federal investigating authority has recommended that current laws are altered to equate producing deadly counterfeit alcohol with murder, local reports claim.

Russian authorities have urged for a change in the country’s law equating the production of deadly counterfeit alcohol with murder

The calls follow the death of 12 people from the Siberian city of Krasnoyarsk earlier this month who consumed toxic bootleg whisky labeled as Jack Daniel’s.

A further eight people remain in hospital, while The Siberian Times now reports that 700 bottles of the counterfeit substance may still be on the market.

The publication also reports that the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation wants to make the production of toxic illegal alcohol as “comparable with intentional killing”.

Currently, Russian law states that causing death through the production of counterfeit alcohol is comparable with causing death by negligence.

Vladimir Markin, spokesperson for the Investigative Committee of the Russian Federation, told The Siberian Times: “In our opinion, a person producing lethal alcoholic drinks is well aware of the social danger of his activity and possible consequences.

“We must bear it in mind that alcohol consumption in Russia has mass proportions.”

Last year, Russia’s State Statistics Service released figures showing that the country’s counterfeit whisky market could be worth £230 million.