Toxic liquor kills 21 people in Karachi, Pakistan

Noxious liquor has killed at least 21 people over the span of 24 hours this week in Karachi, Pakistan, a country where alcohol was banned in 1977.

Health officials say that last week, another 19 people died in the Karachi area from the illegal liquor, and police are investigating whether all of it came from the same batch. As The Washington Post notes, the death toll is incredibly small considering this is a city of around 20 million, but authorities are concerned that more people will die.

Since alcohol was banned by then–Prime Minister Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto, bootlegging has become a thriving industry, bringing in millions of dollars every year. Until recently, Pakistan had several underground clubs that served beer and wine, but many closed in 2007 after they were attacked by students linked to conservative preachers, The Post reports.

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