Laos Booze manufacturing unit suspected of ‘dangerous batch’ that killed six vacationers shutdown by police

The factory suspected to be behind the reported menthol poisonings in Laos has officially been shut down by police.

This action follows a suspected mass poisoning incident that claimed the lives of six tourists, including a Brit. The tragic event unfolded after the tourists consumed dodgy alcohol shots at a backpackers’ hostel in Vang Vieng, a hotspot for travellers. It’s believed the shots contained methanol, a lethal chemical often found in counterfeit booze, with as little as 25ml proving fatal to humans.

Two Aussie teens, Bianca Jones and Holly Bowles, were among those who tragically died from alcohol poisoning. Among the other victims was 28 year old Briton Simone White, a lawyer from London.

READ MORE:Heartbroken mum of Brit lawyer poisoned in Laos had ‘mother’s intuition’ in phone call

READ MORE:Laos government bans vodka brand after methanol poisoning that killed six tourists

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Their deaths were confirmed earlier this month, just over a week after they were transferred from a district hospital in Vang Vieng to the Lao capital Vientiane, and then onwards to a facility in Thailand. The remaining three were American national James Louis Hutson, 57, and Danish nationals Anne-Sofie Orkild Coyman, 20, and Freja Vennervald Sorensen, 21.

Now, the factory where the supposedly lethal vodka was made from has been shut down after police descended upon it. Adding to this, authorities have arrested the owner of the factory.

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It was said the venue pumped out cheap local liquors known as Tiger Vodka and Tiger Whisky. Since the incident, the Laos Government have banned the brand in all pubs, restaurants and shops.

Located in the capital city Vientiane, the factory will remain closed until the production process has been sorted and can be considered safe again. Outlets say the building is now abandoned, and drapes have been placed over stacks of empty bottles.

It appears a fire also took place, with packaging being left outside next to an extinguisher.

Among the arrests, eight staff members, who worked at Nana Backpackers Hostel, have also been arrested after reportedly refusing to call an ambulance for the dying guests. They are all thought to be Vietnamese nationals, but have no yet been named or identified to the public.

Police ordered the closure of the Hostel two weeks ago and it is not yet known when – if ever – it will reopen to the public.

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