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Nine illegal taverns were shut down by police during an operation last week.
The operation, conducted by Lwandle police as part of their ongoing efforts to stop the illegal sale of alcohol in the precinct, also saw the arrest of nine people on charges of selling liquor without a liquor licence.
The police also confiscated 210 F of alcohol, according to Sergeant Mthokozisi Gama, spokesperson for Lwandle police.
Gama said the arrests were made during operations conducted from Thursday 26 to Monday 30 July.
“While the police officers were on patrol during the operations, they noticed community members purchasing alcohol, while others were sitting and drinking liquor on the various the premises,” he explained.
The officers immediately went inside the properties to investigate, approaching the homeowners at each illegal tavern and asking for permission to conduct searches.
“The officers found liquor hidden inside these premises and they asked the owners to produce their liquor licenses. None of them possessed a liquor licence; they were immediately arrested, their ‘taverns’ were closed and the alcohol was confiscated,” Gama added.
The nine people arrested, aged between 29 and 55 years, were charged and released with a warning to appear in Strand Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday 31 July.
Gama again warned the community that operating taverns without a liquor license is a criminal offence. “Liquor contributes to the crime in this area,” he said.
. In a separate case, two men aged 34 and 35, were arrested during a raid at a house in Malunga Street, Lwandle on Saturday 28 July.
Gama says the police found 75 Mandrax tablets hidden inside the house and the men were arrested on charges of possession of drugs.
They appeared in Strand Magistrate’s Court on Monday.
. Another three suspects were arrested for possession of dagga during various stop-and-search operations in Lwandle on Saturday.
The suspects, aged 18 to 23, were found in possession of dagga stoppe. They appeared in Strand Magistrate’s Court on Monday.
