NZ Herald
  • Home
  • Latest news
  • Herald NOW
  • Video
  • New Zealand
  • Sport
  • World
  • Business
  • Entertainment
  • Podcasts
  • Quizzes
  • Opinion
  • Lifestyle
  • Travel
  • Viva
  • Weather

Subscriptions

  • Herald Premium
  • Viva Premium
  • The Listener
  • BusinessDesk

Sections

  • Latest news
  • New Zealand
    • All New Zealand
    • Crime
    • Politics
    • Education
    • Open Justice
    • Scam Update
  • Herald NOW
  • On The Up
  • World
    • All World
    • Australia
    • Asia
    • UK
    • United States
    • Middle East
    • Europe
    • Pacific
  • Business
    • All Business
    • MarketsSharesCurrencyCommoditiesStock TakesCrypto
    • Markets with Madison
    • Media Insider
    • Business analysis
    • Personal financeKiwiSaverInterest ratesTaxInvestment
    • EconomyInflationGDPOfficial cash rateEmployment
    • Small business
    • Business reportsMood of the BoardroomProject AucklandSustainable business and financeCapital markets reportAgribusiness reportInfrastructure reportDynamic business
    • Deloitte Top 200 Awards
    • CompaniesAged CareAgribusinessAirlinesBanking and financeConstructionEnergyFreight and logisticsHealthcareManufacturingMedia and MarketingRetailTelecommunicationsTourism
  • Opinion
    • All Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Editorials
    • Business analysis
    • Premium opinion
    • Letters to the editor
  • Politics
  • Sport
    • All Sport
    • OlympicsParalympics
    • RugbySuper RugbyNPCAll BlacksBlack FernsRugby sevensSchool rugby
    • CricketBlack CapsWhite Ferns
    • Racing
    • NetballSilver Ferns
    • LeagueWarriorsNRL
    • FootballWellington PhoenixAuckland FCAll WhitesFootball FernsEnglish Premier League
    • GolfNZ Open
    • MotorsportFormula 1
    • Boxing
    • UFC
    • BasketballNBABreakersTall BlacksTall Ferns
    • Tennis
    • Cycling
    • Athletics
    • SailingAmerica's CupSailGP
    • Rowing
  • Lifestyle
    • All Lifestyle
    • Viva - Food, fashion & beauty
    • Society Insider
    • Royals
    • Sex & relationships
    • Food & drinkRecipesRecipe collectionsRestaurant reviewsRestaurant bookings
    • Health & wellbeing
    • Fashion & beauty
    • Pets & animals
    • The Selection - Shop the trendsShop fashionShop beautyShop entertainmentShop giftsShop home & living
    • Milford's Investing Place
  • Entertainment
    • All Entertainment
    • TV
    • MoviesMovie reviews
    • MusicMusic reviews
    • BooksBook reviews
    • Culture
    • ReviewsBook reviewsMovie reviewsMusic reviewsRestaurant reviews
  • Travel
    • All Travel
    • News
    • New ZealandNorthlandAucklandWellingtonCanterburyOtago / QueenstownNelson-TasmanBest NZ beaches
    • International travelAustraliaPacific IslandsEuropeUKUSAAfricaAsia
    • Rail holidays
    • Cruise holidays
    • Ski holidays
    • Luxury travel
    • Adventure travel
  • Kāhu Māori news
  • Environment
    • All Environment
    • Our Green Future
  • Talanoa Pacific news
  • Property
    • All Property
    • Property Insider
    • Interest rates tracker
    • Residential property listings
    • Commercial property listings
  • Health
  • Technology
    • All Technology
    • AI
    • Social media
  • Rural
    • All Rural
    • Dairy farming
    • Sheep & beef farming
    • Horticulture
    • Animal health
    • Rural business
    • Rural life
    • Rural technology
    • Opinion
    • Audio & podcasts
  • Weather forecasts
    • All Weather forecasts
    • Kaitaia
    • Whangārei
    • Dargaville
    • Auckland
    • Thames
    • Tauranga
    • Hamilton
    • Whakatāne
    • Rotorua
    • Tokoroa
    • Te Kuiti
    • Taumaranui
    • Taupō
    • Gisborne
    • New Plymouth
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Dannevirke
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Levin
    • Paraparaumu
    • Masterton
    • Wellington
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Blenheim
    • Westport
    • Reefton
    • Kaikōura
    • Greymouth
    • Hokitika
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
    • Wānaka
    • Oamaru
    • Queenstown
    • Dunedin
    • Gore
    • Invercargill
  • Meet the journalists
  • Promotions & competitions
  • OneRoof property listings
  • Driven car news

Puzzles & Quizzes

  • Puzzles
    • All Puzzles
    • Sudoku
    • Code Cracker
    • Crosswords
    • Cryptic crossword
    • Wordsearch
  • Quizzes
    • All Quizzes
    • Morning quiz
    • Afternoon quiz
    • Sports quiz

Regions

  • Northland
    • All Northland
    • Far North
    • Kaitaia
    • Kerikeri
    • Kaikohe
    • Bay of Islands
    • Whangarei
    • Dargaville
    • Kaipara
    • Mangawhai
  • Auckland
  • Waikato
    • All Waikato
    • Hamilton
    • Coromandel & Hauraki
    • Matamata & Piako
    • Cambridge
    • Te Awamutu
    • Tokoroa & South Waikato
    • Taupō & Tūrangi
  • Bay of Plenty
    • All Bay of Plenty
    • Katikati
    • Tauranga
    • Mount Maunganui
    • Pāpāmoa
    • Te Puke
    • Whakatāne
  • Rotorua
  • Hawke's Bay
    • All Hawke's Bay
    • Napier
    • Hastings
    • Havelock North
    • Central Hawke's Bay
    • Wairoa
  • Taranaki
    • All Taranaki
    • Stratford
    • New Plymouth
    • Hāwera
  • Manawatū - Whanganui
    • All Manawatū - Whanganui
    • Whanganui
    • Palmerston North
    • Manawatū
    • Tararua
    • Horowhenua
  • Wellington
    • All Wellington
    • Kapiti
    • Wairarapa
    • Upper Hutt
    • Lower Hutt
  • Nelson & Tasman
    • All Nelson & Tasman
    • Motueka
    • Nelson
    • Tasman
  • Marlborough
  • West Coast
  • Canterbury
    • All Canterbury
    • Kaikōura
    • Christchurch
    • Ashburton
    • Timaru
  • Otago
    • All Otago
    • Oamaru
    • Dunedin
    • Balclutha
    • Alexandra
    • Queenstown
    • Wanaka
  • Southland
    • All Southland
    • Invercargill
    • Gore
    • Stewart Island
  • Gisborne

Media

  • Video
    • All Video
    • NZ news video
    • Herald NOW
    • Business news video
    • Politics news video
    • Sport video
    • World news video
    • Lifestyle video
    • Entertainment video
    • Travel video
    • Markets with Madison
    • Kea Kids news
  • Podcasts
    • All Podcasts
    • The Front Page
    • On the Tiles
    • Ask me Anything
    • The Little Things
  • Cartoons
  • Photo galleries
  • Today's Paper - E-editions
  • Photo sales
  • Classifieds

NZME Network

  • Advertise with NZME
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • BusinessDesk
  • Newstalk ZB
  • Sunlive
  • ZM
  • The Hits
  • Coast
  • Radio Hauraki
  • The Alternative Commentary Collective
  • Gold
  • Flava
  • iHeart Radio
  • Hokonui
  • Radio Wanaka
  • iHeartCountry New Zealand
  • Restaurant Hub
  • NZME Events

SubscribeSign In
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Home / Travel

FBI investigate fake alcohol link in Dominican tourist deaths

NZ Herald
22 Jul, 2019 09:51 PM3 mins to read

Subscribe to listen

Access to Herald Premium articles require a Premium subscription. Subscribe now to listen.
Already a subscriber?  Sign in here

Listening to articles is free for open-access content—explore other articles or learn more about text-to-speech.
‌
Save

    Share this article

Fake alcohol: Tourists are being warned of the dangers of methanol laced drinks. Photo / Getty Images

Fake alcohol: Tourists are being warned of the dangers of methanol laced drinks. Photo / Getty Images

Following the deaths of tourists in Dominican Republic hotels, the American Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is investigating the possibility of "fake" alcohol being served in resorts.

Since last year nine US tourists have died on the island from symptoms resembling heart and respiratory failure, reports People.

According to surviving family members, many of victims were in good health prior the visit and have made statements linking the sudden illnesses to drinking from hotel mini bars.

Local authorities were already investigating the possibility that alcohol supplies were being illegally diluted with methanol or antifreeze.

Last month US investigators were granted permission to look into the victims' toxicology reports and the resorts on the island.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

The Dominican Republic has cooperated but insists that it continues to be a safe destination.

"We are a model for global tourism," the country's tourism board told reporters last month. "Here we are talking about nine people, but there are countries in the area where 10 times the number of Americans have died there. But all eyes are on us."

The findings of the FBI's toxicology report are expected to be released this month.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Cases of counterfeit alcohol and 'methanol poisoning' are high on the radar of tourists, after 19 people in Costa Rica have died from tainted alcohol in the past month.

UK tourist Karin Kidd recently complained of falling ill after drinking a "soapy"-tasting Mojito at her Dominican Republic resort. The tourist from Oxford told The Sun, she was surprised "how many people were sick" during the week she was at the $360-a-night luxury resort.

Methanol is produced via illegal distillation or as an industrial byproduct. This "fake" alcohol can have a funny taste or smell.

Unscrupulous operators and organised criminals have previously used cheap, industrial alcohol to dilute drinks for profit. However this poisonous practice can result in blindness, organ failure and death.

Discover more

Travel

Where to see whales in NZ: Watchers guide mapped out

22 Jul 10:43 PM
Travel

The deadly mistake Kiwis make on holiday

22 Jul 06:00 PM
Entertainment

Disneyland: 'Happiest surveillance state on earth'

22 Jul 04:33 AM
Travel

People can exchange rubbish for free food at 'garbage cafe'

22 Jul 04:39 AM

Australian Colin Ahearn who runs a methanol awareness programme in Bali told the Herald of the risk facing tourists from methanol laced drinks.

"Methanol is a byproduct of poor distillation and can be present still if it hasn't been removed correctly through the distillation process," he said.

"It's a solvent. It takes one millilitre per kilo of body weight to kill you."

Ahearn has been an activist for methanol awareness since being deeply affected by the death of Kiwi-Australian teen Liam Davies in January 2013. He has helped campaign to publicise the dangers alongside the LIAM ( Lifesaving Initiative Against Methanol) foundation – which was set up by Davies' parents.

How to be safe

1. Methanol is only found in "fake" or illegally produced "spirits", so you can safely drink beer, wine and cider as well as premixed drinks – or any duty-free spirits you bring with you.

2. Avoid sketchy bars and clubs or those that have excessive discounts and deals. If you want to go, NEVER order cocktails.

Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

3. Alcohol (ethanol) is not exactly an antidote, but it dilutes methanol and reduces how fast you metabolise the poison. Here's a guide from LIAM:

4. Testing alcohol by scent or by flame are neither guaranteed nor safe methods of testing so we won't outline them. You're best to avoid spirits entirely.

5. This resource by LIAM is a good one to print, bookmark and share.

Save

    Share this article

Latest from Travel

Travel

Why a weekend in Byron Bay is just what you need

09 Jul 08:00 AM
Travel

An honest review of the Carnival Encounter cruise ship

09 Jul 07:03 AM
Travel

Why Rotterdam is so much more than the Netherlands’ second-largest city

09 Jul 06:00 AM

One pass, ten snowy adventures

sponsored
Advertisement
Advertise with NZME.

Latest from Travel

Why a weekend in Byron Bay is just what you need

Why a weekend in Byron Bay is just what you need

09 Jul 08:00 AM

The wellness mecca continues to be a haven of relaxation.

An honest review of the Carnival Encounter cruise ship

An honest review of the Carnival Encounter cruise ship

09 Jul 07:03 AM
Why Rotterdam is so much more than the Netherlands’ second-largest city

Why Rotterdam is so much more than the Netherlands’ second-largest city

09 Jul 06:00 AM
Stunning views, outdoor action - why South Island's resort capital is still global favourite

Stunning views, outdoor action - why South Island's resort capital is still global favourite

09 Jul 03:01 AM
Your Fiordland experience, levelled up
sponsored

Your Fiordland experience, levelled up

NZ Herald
  • About NZ Herald
  • Meet the journalists
  • Newsletters
  • Classifieds
  • Help & support
  • Contact us
  • House rules
  • Privacy Policy
  • Terms of use
  • Competition terms & conditions
  • Our use of AI
Subscriber Services
  • NZ Herald e-editions
  • Daily puzzles & quizzes
  • Manage your digital subscription
  • Manage your print subscription
  • Subscribe to the NZ Herald newspaper
  • Subscribe to Herald Premium
  • Gift a subscription
  • Subscriber FAQs
  • Subscription terms & conditions
  • Promotions and subscriber benefits
NZME Network
  • The New Zealand Herald
  • The Northland Age
  • The Northern Advocate
  • Waikato Herald
  • Bay of Plenty Times
  • Rotorua Daily Post
  • Hawke's Bay Today
  • Whanganui Chronicle
  • Viva
  • NZ Listener
  • Newstalk ZB
  • BusinessDesk
  • OneRoof
  • Driven Car Guide
  • iHeart Radio
  • Restaurant Hub
NZME
  • About NZME
  • NZME careers
  • Advertise with NZME
  • Digital self-service advertising
  • Book your classified ad
  • Photo sales
  • NZME Events
  • © Copyright 2025 NZME Publishing Limited
TOP