Moratorium on checks due to mass poisoning may be lifted from the alcohol business

The State Duma and the government can work on lifting the moratorium on checking businesses related to alcohol and tobacco products. This was stated by the deputy of the Duma Security Committee Sultan Khamzaev.

“[Спикер Госдумы Вячеслав] Volodin instructed to work with the government of the Russian Federation on lifting the moratorium on the inspection of businesses selling alcohol and tobacco products,” Khamzaev said (quote according to RIA Novosti).

The moratorium on scheduled inspections of enterprises was approved on March 10 last year. The resolution was valid until the end of 2022, and was later extended to 2023. The document became part of a set of measures proposed by the government to ensure the sustainability of economic development and reduce the burden on businesses in the face of sanctions.

Mass poisoning with surrogate cider began on June 5 in the Ulyanovsk region. Later there were reports of cases of poisoning in the Penza, Nizhny Novgorod, Samara and Kurgan regions, as well as in Chuvashia and Udmurtia. According to the latest data, as a result of the incident, more than 30 people died, more than 100 were hospitalized.

The reason was alcohol brand “Mr. Cider”. The Investigative Committee (IC) of the Russian Federation reported that during a chemical forensic examination, impurities of ethyl butyrate and methanol were detected in the seized cider in proportions dangerous to humans. According to the results of toxicological studies, methanol was found in the blood of the victims.

In the case of poisoning, a drink manufacturer from the Samara region, the founder of Andi LLC Anar Huseynov, police officer Ivan Grebenkin, who was accused of stealing methyl alcohol for the production of cider, and others were arrested.