Litres of alcohol seized by the City’s law enforcement increased by 3000 compared to three years ago. Picture: file.
Over the past two months, City Law Enforcement’s Liquor Enforcement Unit seized more than 14 000 bottles of alcohol, amounting just over 7 000 litres. This is 3000 more litres than was confiscated in 2019.
“Sadly, these statistics trump the 2019 figures by quite a stretch – back then we were on just over four thousand litres, and half the number of bottles confiscated thus far this year,” said mayoral committee member for safety and security, JP Smith.
The numbers, for the period between Tuesday October 18 and Wednesday December 28, were released a week after we reported that the City had confiscated almost 3000 litres - just over 5 900 bottles - of liquor in the first three weeks of this December. This was 350 litres less than what was confiscated over the same period in 2019, before Covid.
“Alcohol confiscations are a big talking point each year, and while many make light of it, it is actually an indictment on our society and its dysfunctional relationship with alcohol,” Mr Smith said.
“We remind the public yet again, that alcohol is prohibited in public open spaces, including all of the City's beaches. Anyone caught flouting the rules will be fined and their alcohol will be confiscated.”
He also reminded motorists to not drink and drive, and members of the public to not consume alcohol around water sources.