Tangier – In a recent ruling by the Criminal Court of Tangier, a man has been sentenced to 15 years in prison for his involvement in producing and distributing a lethal homemade alcoholic drink called “Mahya,” a methanol-based brew that resulted in the death of 21 individuals in Ksar El-Kebir. Alongside him, two other individuals associated with the tragedy were handed two-year prison sentences each, while another person was acquitted.
This tragic event, which unfolded in late September 2022, has been termed the “killer alcohol” incident. It drew significant attention, both nationally and internationally. In the aftermath of the incident, which started on a day now infamously known as “Black Tuesday,” the death toll rapidly escalated to 21 within approximately 72 hours.
Medical sources have confirmed that these deaths were caused by the consumption of Mahya. This homemade alcoholic beverage, typically produced and sold illegally in Morocco, is made from dangerous methanol. This toxic mix proved fatal to its consumers within 4 to 72 hours of ingestion.
In response to this shocking incident, local police launched a judicial investigation. On September 27, 2022, they arrested a 48-year-old man with a history of criminal offenses, suspected of selling the lethal methanol-based Mahya from his convenience store.
As the investigation progressed, the vendor’s underage son was also arrested, suspected of complicity in these criminal activities. The police operation led to the confiscation of 49 liters of potentially harmful smuggled alcoholic substances, believed to have been a significant factor in the tragic loss of lives.
The Moroccan Times.
