Police in Guadalcanal Province confiscated 103 cartons of beer in North West Guadalcanal in an operation to close down beer outlets operating in the Guadalcanal without a valid licence.
As part of the operation Guadalcanal Police visited and checked 16 liquor shops from Kakabona and down to the Selwyn College area.
Supervising Provincial Commander, Guadalcanal Province, Superintendent Nixson Manetoga says, “My officers conducted the operation following instructions from the Guadalcanal Province Liquor Board that as the liquor outlets licences expired at the end of December 2017, all the outlets should have closed down business until the Board approves new licences for 2018.”
Superintendent Manetoga says, “Villagers’ have complained that alcohol is the main driver of crime within their communities so the Liquor Board wants to ensure that every outlet that is operating must have a licence.”
“The operation to crack down on illegal sale of alcohol was proposed for two weeks but due to the bad weather my officers had to stop but the operation will continue after the weather improves,” says Mr Manetoga.
PPC Manetoga says, “All liquor outlets within Guadalcanal Province must stop and close down except for pubs, resorts, home stay and hotels.The outlets can only resume operations after the Liquor Board gives them their 2018 licences.”
He adds: “I appeal to people on Guadalcanal to come forward with information on any beer outlet that is operating illegally throughout the Province so we can control the effect of alcohol on our communities. Please call the Henderson Police Station on phone 36200 with any information that you think may assist this operation.”