Ankara - Eleven people have died in Turkey the last three weeks after drinking illegally-produced spirits, the Agriculture Ministry said Saturday. In a statement the ministry added that it was stepping up measures to stop bootleg spirits entering the market.

It said inspections had focused on the western province of Bursa, where most of the deaths had occurred and the Mediteraranean resort of Antalya, where three German youths recently died after drinking bootleg spirits.

The statement said inspections at hotels in Antalya this year had found 29 "non-standard" samples, including three that contained the deadly methanol that has been blamed for the 11 deaths. (dpa)