The Czech police carried out around twenty thousand raids in bars and liquor shops on Saturday after poisonous bootleg spirits caused a wave of deaths.

Tomas Hulan, a spokesperson for Prague police, said, "The police carried out 19,065 checks between Friday evening and 6am (0400 GMT) on Saturday.”

The bars and shops were raised after 19 people lost their lives and 24 were hospitalised after drinking rum and vodka spirits tainted with methanol.

On Friday, health minister of the country had extended the ban on the sale of any liquor with more than 20 per cent alcohol until further notice for the ministry.

Police have so far charged thirteen people who were allegedly involved in mingling methanol in liquors.

Methanol, which is impossible to tell apart from real drinking alcohol, is used for industrial purposes; but as it is cheap miscreants make it in drinking alcohol to guarantee high profits.

Czech Prime Minister Petr Necas has urged citizens to refrain from drinking any alcohol whose origin is uncertain.

As per newest World Health Organisation stats, the Czech Republic has the second highest adult alcohol intake in the world, after Moldova