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Methanol in Famous Brand Alcoholic Beverage Leaves Young People Blind and Causes Deaths in São Paulo. Danger Exposes Suspicions of Sabotage and Creates Alerts.
Young Man Reports Alcoholic Beverage Adulterated with Methanol and Reveals Famous Brand
A 23-year-old young man temporarily went blind after drinking an alcoholic beverage contaminated with methanol in São Paulo. The bottle was sealed, was from a famous brand, but had been adulterated without anyone noticing.
The case shocked the country because there are already at least ten ongoing investigations, three confirmed deaths, and suspicions of sabotage in the beverage market.
The São Paulo Health Department confirmed the investigation of the cases. In addition, the Civil Police is also monitoring the reports. The risk is real and affects any consumer, as the adulterated bottles circulate in well-known establishments.
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How the Young Man Discovered the Danger of Methanol in Alcoholic Beverage
Diego Marques, the victim of the poisoning, reported that he had to stay in the hospital for three days. Tests detected the presence of methanol in his blood, a toxic substance that is difficult to identify.
“When we bought it, the drink was sealed and, based on the brand, we didn’t expect the worst,” he told CNN. According to him, nothing indicated adulteration at the time of purchase.
Meanwhile, a friend of the student remains hospitalized in critical condition. “He is on life support, there is no blood flow to the brain. According to the doctors, it is irreversible,” the young man’s mother lamented.
Methanol in Alcoholic Beverages: How It Works and Why It Is So Dangerous
Methanol is a highly toxic industrial alcohol. It is colorless, flammable, and has a smell similar to a common alcoholic beverage. According to the National Petroleum Agency (ANP), small doses can already cause nausea, dizziness, blindness, and even death.
In Brazil, the use of methanol is only allowed in industries, mainly as an input for biodiesel production. Contact, whether through ingestion or inhalation, poses serious health risks.
Therefore, when it appears in alcoholic beverages, it is a criminal adulteration. Furthermore, its detection by consumers is practically impossible.
Famous Brand and Suspicions of Sabotage: What the Investigation Says
According to the National Secretariat for Drug Policies and Asset Management (Senad), all cases recorded in São Paulo are linked to counterfeit alcoholic beverages. The main suspicion is that the methanol used is the same illegally imported by criminal factions to adulterate fuels.
The Brazilian Association for Combating Regulation (ABCF) warns that the problem may be linked to large-scale smuggling and adulteration schemes. This further increases the suspicions of sabotage in the beverage market, as well-known brands are being targeted by sophisticated counterfeiting.
Government Actions and Urgent Recommendations
In light of the seriousness, the Ministry of Justice and Public Security (MJSP) issued an urgent recommendation to all establishments selling alcoholic beverages in São Paulo and nearby areas. The order is to strengthen inspections, report irregularities, and withdraw any suspicious products from circulation.
Meanwhile, experts emphasize that consumers should distrust prices significantly below the market and always request invoices. However, as Diego’s case showed, even sealed bottles can conceal lethal traps.
The Impact on Consumption and the Alert for the Whole Country
Cases like this undermine public trust in famous brands and put the alcoholic beverage market under intense pressure. Moreover, the episode exposes flaws in regulation and demonstrates how methanol adulteration can occur almost invisibly.
The tragedy reinforces that the danger of methanol does not only affect isolated victims but threatens public health on a large scale. Therefore, the alert is valid for all Brazilians: the risk goes far beyond a simple adulterated bottle.
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