The number of people killed by bootleg liquor in West Java over the past week has risen to 60, according to West Java Police data.

The last victims reported to have died after consuming tainted beverages are two teenagers, who died at Cicalengka Regional General Hospital (RSUD) in Bandung regency.

N, 15, an eighth-grader at a junior high school in Cicalengka, passed away while receiving treatment at the hospital on Thursday evening.

“On Sunday, he drank a ginseng drink with my son,” said N’s relative, Marlina, at RSUD Cicalengka. After consuming the purple-colored liquor, N and his three friends did not return home. Instead, they made themselves bootleg liquor – called oplosan in Indonesia – by mixing pure alcohol with energy drinks and cough syrup.

“Their condition worsened, so they were brought to hospital,” said Marlina.

Thirty-three of the 60 people killed died while undergoing treatment at RSUD Cicalengka. Another six died at Majalaya Hospital and four others at AMC Cileunyi Hospital. Authorities in Bandung city and Sukabumi regency each reported seven fatalities, while two people died from oplosan in Cianjur regency and another in Ciamis regency.

West Java Police chief Insp. Gen. Budi Maryoto said on Friday that all the bootleg liquor consumed in Bandung city and regency stemmed from one factory, located on Jl. Raya Bypass Cicalengka.

“Every day, it can produce 10 boxes [of bootleg liquor], each containing 24 bottles with a volume capacity of 600 milliliters,” said Agung, adding that the beverages contained methanol. (ebf)

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