Several youths in the Stockholm area were hospitalized over the weekend after drinking toxic fake alcohol bought via Snapchat. Police are warning about the dangers of so-called vodkabilar ahead of the autumn break. All affected have recovered, but investigations are ongoing.
Over the weekend of October 17–19, 2025, twelve youths in the Stockholm area were hospitalized with poisoning symptoms after consuming fake alcohol from vodkabilar contacted via Snapchat. The incidents occurred in Vallentuna on Friday evening, in Stureby, Stuvsta, Nacka, and Tyresö on Saturday, and in the Slakthus area on Sunday. Blood tests showed traces of isopropanol in some, a substance that can be life-threatening.
All patients had recovered and were discharged by Sunday, according to chief physician Juan Figueroa Sepulveda at the Maria Ungdom specialist clinic. "I have worked for almost 30 years and have never experienced this. Possibly a single person has come in, but not so many at the same time," he said. Police have initiated three to four investigations and intervened against a vodkabil during the weekend, arresting five people in southern Stockholm. They are aged 15 to 20 and suspected of gross unauthorized handling of alcohol, gross illegal sale of alcohol, and causing bodily harm, but have been released.
The fake alcohol consisted of one-liter bottles with a red label and white Smirnoff text, often filled from drums and sometimes containing cleaning agents, according to Ola Jonsson in Nacka's youth team. "Sometimes they contain cleaning agents," he said. Police note that it is impossible to detect the poison with the naked eye or smell, and warn that more cases may occur ahead of the autumn break and Halloween. Press spokesperson Ola Österling urges parents: "Talk to your children and keep track of what they do because now is a time when we know alcohol is usually consumed." DN reports that offers for alcohol appear quickly on Snapchat, sometimes suggesting free alcohol in exchange for sexual services, and criminologist Maria Dufva emphasizes parental responsibility: "Guardians have a very far-reaching responsibility."