The main topic of conversation in Turkey these days is neither the Nov. 1 elections nor President Recep Tayyip Erdogan nor the anticipated hike in the minimum wage. The main topic, especially in Turkey's ever-busy favorite neighborhood pubs, is something else: bootleg raki.
The aniseed-flavored national drink has joined the bootleg market, and deadly counterfeit production has repeatedly made the headlines over the past decade. The latest wave of deaths began Oct. 22 with a person who perished in the hospital after drinking bootleg raki. As of Nov. 5, the number of fatalities stood at 26 amid rumors the death toll is actually higher.