A potentially deadly vodka, also reported to make you blind, has been found to be in circulation in North Rhine-Westphalia. The vodka has been found to have 15 grams of methanol per litre in it, 400 times over the legal limit.

350 bottles have already been sold on the black market since October 2016, however the authorities say that for this reason they have no idea who has bought the dangerous drink.

When investigators searched the apartment of one of the men selling the illegal drink, they discovered over 1,000 yet unsold bottles being stored.

In December 2016 the customs' investigation office in Münster filed criminal preliminary proceedings against two men, 48 and 60, from Duisburg. They were accused of tax evasion and receiving profits on untaxed goods.

The department for the environment and consumer protection in North Rhine-Westphalia has detailed the symptoms in a recent press release. Fatigue, head aches, and nausea are known symptoms, but these can very quickly develop to become serious.

They recommend to anybody who has drunk the vodka recently that they should go to hospital straight away if they notice the symptoms. The press release said that “whether you're drunk or possibly have methanol poisoning, only a doctor can know for sure.”

Correction: This article initially stated the vodka contained menthol. It actually contains methanol!