Policemen Roll Over 6,000 Bottles in a Dramatic Move
On April 13, 2018, the streets of Tangerang—just outside Jakarta—became a scene straight out of a movie. The Indonesian police rolled a yellow steamer over a carpet of roughly 6,000 illicit booze bottles, sending the rogue spirits into the ground with a thump that would leave any Netflix fan buzzing.
Why the Heat?
- Indonesia, the world’s biggest Muslim-majority nation, banned alcohol sales at most small shops back in 2015.
- Still, millions can grab a drink from supermarkets, cafes, or hotels.
- High taxes make real alcohol pricey, so many low‑wage workers chase the cheaper, shady homemade brews.
As of that Friday, 97 people had died nationwide since late March because they knocked back these dangerous concoctions. Another 160 folks remain in hospitals—many in critical condition.
Arrests, Confessions, and a Dash of Mystery
Police say 17 suspects face charges involving the sale and distribution of bootleg alcohol. Local tipster Trunoyudo Wisnu Andiko even mentioned a suspect who fell and died in the hospital after drinking that same bad brew.
Laboratory tests found the melt‑over culprit: methanol—the nasty kind of alcohol that’s found in antifreeze and solvents. That means people were sipping a chemical cocktail that can turn your brain into a jigsaw puzzle.
Some guilty men confessed they jammed pure alcohol into Coca‑Cola, energy drinks, cough syrup, and even mosquito repellent—turning our drinks into an accidental science experiment.
Emergency Snapshots
- Bandung and its surrounding area declared a state of emergency on Tuesday.
- Street vendors were found selling the toxic brew under the table, but police suspect that big distributors might be pulling the mortgaging strings in the background.
- Those found guilty of knowingly distributing dangerous beverage could be handed a life sentence—so the law knows it’s serious business.
Just a quick recap from 2016: 36 people died in Central Java after gulping locally-made, unsafe homebrew.
Bottom line? The policy of banning small‑shop sales might have nudged folks toward dangerous alternatives, and the regime’s crackdown shows that the country isn’t going to let people keep drinking in a bottle that could vaporize them.
