At least 19 individuals have died this month after ingesting illegal alcohol in the Leningrad region of northwestern Russia, close to the Estonian border, officials reported on Friday.

According to the national police spokesperson Irina Volksaid, two local individuals were arrested on suspicion of providing raw alcohol and using it to create homemade spirits.

“An inhabitant of the village of Gostitsy is believed to have sold alcohol-containing liquids to other residents of the village,” Volksaid shared about the first suspect on Telegram.

“Shortly after, a man from a nearby village, who allegedly sold raw alcohol to an elderly customer, was also taken into custody,” she added.

The administration of the Leningrad region indicated that at least 19 deaths have been recorded in the Slantsevsky district throughout September.

Out of these, eight have been confirmed as cases of methanol poisoning.

Reports have surfaced suggesting that investigators are looking into the possibility that industrial alcohol was involved in these fatal incidents.

Authorities have initiated a criminal investigation for suspected negligence resulting in death, as per the regional prosecutor’s office.

They mentioned that a court is anticipated to decide on the pre-trial detention of the arrested individuals.

Local news source 47news, referencing anonymous sources, reported that one of the individuals involved in alcohol production was a 79-year-old who had been penalized in 2019 for selling diluted alcohol at significantly reduced prices.

State media have indicated that the individual under suspicion for supplying raw alcohol for production is a 60-year-old employee at a kindergarten.

Russia has encountered repeated occurrences of deadly surrogate alcohol poisonings, often involving spirits contaminated with methanol or industrial-grade alcohol.

These incidents are frequently fueled by poverty, limited access to legal alcoholic beverages, and the ongoing presence of illegal suppliers in rural communities.