Illegal, tainted alcohol has killed at least 80 people in Indonesia. It's prompted authorities to launch raids across the country. Most of the deaths are in West Java and Jakarta - and many are still in critical condition. CGTN's Silkina Ahluwalia has more from Jakarta.

The crisis is mounting over the consumption of bootleg alcohol in Indonesia.

More than 80 people have died across the country, while others in critical condition after drinking unlicensed liquor in the past week.

JADINTA, EMERGENCY DOCTOR SOUTH TANGERANG DISTRICT HOSPITAL "Patients react differently to methanol and ethanol. The sensation can be felt from head to toes. The common symptoms are blurry vision, shortness of breath, disruption in the liver and heart. The feeling is not immediate. Patients can feel it days after consuming the toxic alcohol, depending on how much the person consumes."

In a relatively conservative country, Indonesia has been weighing on completely banning alcohol in the past two years. The government succeeded in stopping alcohol sales in mini markets and small shops in 2015.

SILKINA AHLUWALIA JAKARTA, INDONESIA "That ban is said to have indirectly increased consumption of these toxic alcohol. Many producers started to create their own concoction mixed with large amounts of energy drinks and harmful chemicals like methanol."

Legal alcoholic beverages in Indonesia comes with high taxes making it unaffordable for many. That has led to the growth of the black market for alcohol among the country's poor. Authorities in the South Tangerang district have conducted several raids around the city in the past two weeks. Today, they exterminated all of the evidence collected, thousands of bottles of tainted alcoholic beverages.

FERDY IRAWAN SOUTH TANGERANG POLICE CHIEF "There are at least 6,000 bottles here we are disposing. The factories that create these have been operating from a home for two years. They sell one of these bottles for less than one US Dollar, whereas they can reach up to 3 dollars. West Java had the highest number of deaths followed by Jakarta. We are here today with the South Tangerang mayor because we want everyone to know that we are committed to finally rid Indonesia of this issue."

Authorities have arrested a total of six people they suspect are main distributors of illegal alcohol across the city.

Silkina Ahluwalia, CGTN, Jakarta.