Ufuk Çelik, an unemployed man in his 40s, consumed some bootleg rakı while out and had barely made it back to his home when he started vomiting. He took a shower and tried to shake off something he thought was just a hangover. His concerned father brought him to a hospital when he could not stop vomiting. Çelik was admitted to the intensive care unit at the hospital where he was still being treated as of Friday.Çelik was among the dozens who fell ill after drinking bootleg rakı infused with methyl alcohol, a deadly addition to the drink. This week, 14 people were killed after drinking bootleg liquor in Istanbul according to local health authorities, and the death toll may increase as nine further people remain in intensive care.The deaths are a cautionary tale for drinkers in a country where rakı is one of the most popular alcoholic drinks.Poisoning by bootleg liquor is not new in the country where over 20 people died of alcohol poisoning over a short period in 2005, but these new cases point to a comeback in illegal production.Survivors say they paid only TL 5 ($1.7) for a bottle of rakı. A normal bottle is usually no cheaper than TL 80. Bootleg rakı is preferred by working-class individuals who cannot afford the regular brand.Experts warn that people should be extra careful when buying unknown brands offered at stores for unusually lower prices. Professor İbrahim Ortaş of Çukurova University says a price hike in alcoholic drinks is among the reasons people turn to bootleg liquor. Speaking to Doğan News Agency, Ortaş says the state should increase inspections at liquor stores.Police detained 19 suspects since news of the deaths broke out. A large cache of bootleg drinks was confiscated in the police raids carried out since the tragedy.Nuri Çelik, the father of Ufuk Çelik, says bootleg drinks are "selling like hot cakes." "The government should do something about it," he says.Following the deaths, another debate broke concerning the treatment of alcohol poisoning. Victims were given genuine raki to counter the effects of the fake one, but Arzu Sayın opposes this practice. The associate professor and former head of National Poisoning Advice Center says genuine rakı is not a proper antidote. "Doctors decide momentarily on how to treat the patient if it is an emergency case, but it should be known that genuine rakı would also lead to respiratory failure," she told the Sabah newspaper. Health Minister Mehmet Müezzinoğlu had warned the public earlier to act cautiously when purchasing alcoholic drinks. "They should avoid suspicious products without proper tax labels and sold for unusually cheap prices. Consumers should alert police when they suspect a shop is selling bootleg alcohol," he said.Experts warn that a price hike in alcohol and tobacco as part of Turkey's efforts to promote a healthier lifestyle may fuel bootleg drink production.