ONHUNO - The Namibian Police in the Ohangwena region on Tuesday unearthed large liquor consignments believed to be a syndicate of supply and sales of alcohol in violation of the state of emergency restrictions.
The state of emergency, declared in the country in March this year due to the coronavirus outbreak, includes a temporary ban on the selling and buying of alcohol.
Warrant Officer Kaume Iitumba of Ohangwena told Nampa four suspects have been apprehended at Helao Nafidi, where the police discovered large volumes of liquor valued at about N$130 000 on Tuesday.
The consignment was found stored in a garage at a private house at the town’s Onhuno suburb, where suspected customers were also allegedly apprehended whilst buying stock for further distribution elsewhere. Police seized the liquor.
A smaller liquor consignment was at the same time found in a similar fashion at a second private house in the immediate vicinity of the first one and has also been seized.
According to Iitumba, the police also apprehended the driver of a vehicle found packed with cases of beer and confiscated it at Ondobe village, situated some 10 kilometres from Onhuno on the way to Eenhana.
Speaking to Nampa at the scene, one of the suspects denied selling or supplying liquor contrary to the state of emergency restrictions.
“This is my business stock from a depot at Eenhana and I collected it this morning (Tuesday) after receiving a call from them yesterday that I should take it for more space to be created for their new stock,” explained the suspect.
Iitumba said the four suspects were fined N$2 000 each, because the regulation requires such a fine or that they are taken to court to be prosecuted if they fail to pay.
Meanwhile, a woman was arrested yesterday at Ekolola village outside Eenhana after she was found in possession of whiskey sachets and cigarettes, which were reportedly smuggled from Angola into the country. Deputy Commissioner Zacharia Amakali warned the public to refrain from selling prohibited goods during the Covid-19 state of emergency period.
-Nampa/Additional reporting by own reporter