Travel Securely Securely Travel
The Costa Rica Ministry of Health advised that tainted alcohol within the hospitality industry is responsible for at least 19 deaths. The ministry advised that 14 men and five women between the ages of 32 and 72 throughout Costa Rica.
The deaths occurred in San Jose, Cartago, Guanacaste and Heredia. While the investigations continues, and results are preliminary, the ministry has identified a number of liquors which have had methanol added to them.
Their investigation had identified 34 cases of intoxication by methanol, which led them to believe that their existed alcohol which had been adulterated.
Last week, 30,000 cases of adulterated alcohol was seized from which carried the brand names of “Guaro Montano”, “Guaro Gran Apache”, “Aguardiente Estrella”, “Aguardiente Barón Rojo”, “Aguardiente Timbuka” and “Aguardiente Molotov”.
What about the Dominican Republic?
The question that needs to be asked is: How many of these liquors were exported to the Dominican Republic where there have been a number of inexplicable deaths?
In their quest to turn a nickle, the unscrupulous have no consciousness when it comes to adulterating and extending their booze supply and your health isn’t their concern, as the traveler is here today and gone tomorrow. Though the snippet from Fox News below entertains the thought that the tainting of alcohol was a manufacturing error.
Advice:
If you are drinking mixed drinks, do so only when you are able to confirm the provenance of the ingredients. If you are drinking beer or wine, as that the bottle be opened in your presence.
