Illegal booze poured down the drain

Johanensburg - It was a bar table of note - vodka, whisky, wine, beer, shooters and liqueur.

And all of it was destined for the drain.

Nearly 100 000 litres of confiscated alcohol was destroyed on Thursday, a continuing of the annual Operation Duty Calls. This is in addition to the 411 500 litres of booze confiscated during the 2012/2013 festive season.

Major-General Phumzo Gela said police were declaring war against illegal shebeens and liquor outlets operating around Gauteng.

“We will have no mercy for shebeens,” he said. “We will not allow anyone to sell without a licence.”

Gauteng Provincial Community Policing Council chairman Andy Mashaile commended police for shutting down several shebeens, calling the illegal outlets “generators of crime in Gauteng”.

“We congratulate police officials for putting their lives on the line to go out there and ensure these illegal shebeens are closed, to ensure that crime is prevented before it happens,” he said.

“Alcohol, whether we like it or not, does contribute to crime,” agreed Crime Line’s Yusuf Abramjee.

On Thursday, police also began destroying 786 452 confiscated counterfeit DVDs and CDs. Gela called on the community to stop buying the discs, stressing that they are stolen property.

Yusuf Abramjee, chairman of the South African Federation Against Copyright Theft, said 510 people had been arrested so far this year for piracy-related crimes and counterfeiting.

He said while there were still a few hotspots, fewer fake DVDs and CDs were being seen on street corners.

“We’ve had 31 convictions for piracy this year alone.”

Piracy by numbers:

* 510 arrests

* 79 admission of guilt fines

* 31 convictions

* 368 matters on the court roll

* 245 811 digital film seizures

* 180 382 digital music seizures

Source: Yusuf Abramjee, SA Federation Against Copyright Theft chairman

The Star