Tripoli: At least 51 people have been died in Libya after drinking homemade alcohol while more than 300 others are suffering from the poisoning, the health ministry said on Monday.

The ministry said that 38 people had died in Tripoli and another 13 had died while on their way to Tunisia for treatment.

“There have been 378 cases of alcohol poisoning so far,” the ministry said, adding the illegal concoction is believed to have contained methanol. The deaths were among that figure.

With its long porous borders, Libya has seen a significant increase in drug and alcohol trafficking since the 2011 war that ousted dictator Muammar Qaddafi.

It\'s to be mentioned here that the consumption and sale of alcohol is banned in the North African country, even though it is available on the black market.

Source – Thenewstribe