Speaking here to reporters yesterday, Mbeya Regional Police Commander, Ulrich Matei said the police had been conducting frequent operations in various areas in the region and arrested both sellers and drinkers of the illicit liquor.
RPC Matei said in the crackdown made beginning January 5 this year, they arrested three people, prominent sellers of the drink in various areas of the region and that the crackdown continues.
He added that on January 6 Police detectives conducted an operation at Katumba village in Rungwe district and arrested one Atuganile Mwakalobo (52) with 21 litres of the illicit liquor that he was selling to people at his local brew shop in the village.
RPC Matei further said the detectives made another operation in Kyela District and arrested one Anyeshi Burton (50), resident of Kyimo village with flour that he was selling at his local brew bar in the village.
“There is also the smuggling into the country of prohibited liquor from neighbouring countries, and in our January 5 operation in Kyela we arrested one Gwantwa Mwakajila (45), a resident of Ikolo Village for smuggling in similar kind of illicit liquor,” said RPC Matei.
He named the kinds of drinks the suspect smuggled in as including 20 bottles of Ice, 31 bottles of Carerhum and 14 bottles of ‘Zikomo’ all from neighbouring Malawi.
