What is illicit alcohol and why can it be so dangerous?

‘Illicit’ alcohol is produced illegally, outside of the approved and regulated production processes of registered and legitimate manufacturers. It’s largely unbranded and doesn’t comply with standards that ensure the quality and safety of products.

In some countries, small batches of home brews from locally available ingredients are made and sold outside of legal production and trade channels. Other illicit drinks are produced on a larger scale, sometimes using readily available ethanol instead of the natural fermentation process and mixed with other ingredients. They may be sold directly on the black market or may be repackaged and sold as counterfeits of known brands.

The illicit market also includes the smuggling of legally produced, high-quality and branded drinks across borders. This usually happens where there’s a large difference in price or where alcohol is available in one place but not another.

‘Illicit’ alcohol is produced illegally, outside of the approved and regulated production processes of registered and legitimate manufacturers. It’s largely unbranded and doesn’t comply with standards that ensure the quality and safety of products.

In some countries, small batches of home brews from locally available ingredients are made and sold outside of legal production and trade channels. Other illicit drinks are produced on a larger scale, sometimes using readily available ethanol instead of the natural fermentation process and mixed with other ingredients. They may be sold directly on the black market or may be repackaged and sold as counterfeits of known brands.

The illicit market also includes the smuggling of legally produced, high-quality and branded drinks across borders. This usually happens where there’s a large difference in price or where alcohol is available in one place but not another.

In many countries, illicit alcohol drinks may be traditional local products that are homemade. They include drinks like palm toddy in Sri Lanka and India, pulque in Mexico, chicha in Bolivia, sorghum beer and other brews in Botswana and South Africa, and samogon, a homemade vodka, in Russia and Belarus. These drinks can sometimes be of high quality, but they’re often not and it’s difficult to tell the difference.

Other types include large-scale and illegally manufactured drinks. These are often sold through illicit channels ⁽¹²⁾. However, they may also be passed off as legitimate brands and may be found in legal retail stores or served in bars and other establishments ⁽¹³⁾. Counterfeit alcohol production and trade is illegal and can jeopardise the health of unsuspecting consumers.