“Nineteen people have died and 17 hospitalized after drinking cologne containing methanol, according to press reports on Sunday.

“Police officials told the daily Okaz that the 19 died after drinking the cologne laced with methanol, a poisonous substance normally used as an antifreeze,” the Hindustan Times reports.

[…]Eleven of those killed died in the Muslim holy city of Mecca, in the kingdom’s west, while the rest died in the southern city of Jizan.

It was not immediately clear when they died.

Police last week reportedly arrested an unspecified number of people suspected of selling the cologne.

[…] Consuming and dealing in alcohol is banned in Saudi Arabia and punishable by lashings, fines and prison terms. Some people drink cologne as an alcohol substitute.

Well, if you can find the stuff without methanol in it, it sure beats the hell out of camel piss…

And Drakkar over crushed ice with a coupla olives on a hot summer’s day? Umm. ‘S like ambrosia….

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