Updated on
Summary Czech police have raided thousands of bars and wine shops following a wave of deaths from poisoning.
The police carried out 19,065 checks between Friday evening and 6:00 am (0400 GMT) on Saturday, Prague police spokesman Tomas Hulan said.On Friday evening the Czech health minister had declared an extended ban on the sale of liquor with over 20 percent alcohol until further notice after spirits tainted with methanol had claimed 19 lives across the country.The poisoned liquor also left more than 20 people hospitalised on Saturday, some having gone blind while others were in artificial comas.Fridays measure came on the heels of a ban on spirits with over 30 percent alcohol being sold by street vendors and market stalls, which was introduced on Wednesday.The northeastern region of the country has been hard hit by the countrys worst wave of alcohol poisonings in three decades.Shop and restaurant owners who violate the ban face a fine up to three million koruna (123,000 euros, $162,000).The police have so far charged 13 people, said Hulan, who declined to say whether these included the main organisers of the bootleg scheme.An ex-communist EU state of 10 million, the Czech Republic has the worlds second highest adult alcohol intake after Moldova, according to latest World Health Organization data.
