Truck driver arrested for transporting 1890 cases of beer

A truck driver has been arrested in Durban for allegedly transporting 1 890 cases of imported beer.

Police officers intercepted the driver on Friday afternoon. They found the truck was transporting beer valued at an estimated R1.9 million, said KwaZulu-Natal MEC for Economic Development, Tourism and Environmental Affairs Ravi Pillay.

The alcohol had allegedly been loaded into the truck at a depot in Sydney Road in Durban and was being transported to Johannesburg.

After police officers intercepted it, the truck was escorted to the Umbilo police station in Glenwood. The driver was charged with the illegal transportation of alcohol.

“From the information that we have received from the police it would appear that this was a blatant violation of the country’s adjusted Level 3 lockdown regulations. The regulations are clear on the sale, dispensing and transportation of alcohol during this period. The law must therefore take its course,” Pillay said.

The transportation of liquor is allowed under very specific circumstances, Pillay said, but the truck driver could not produce any permit granting him permission to transport the alcohol.

“We are dealing with a very dangerous pandemic that is rising at an alarming rate. Many families have lost loved ones to the pandemic. The nation is losing frontline workers on a daily basis.

“Alcohol has been identified as the key contributor to the spread of this virus and therefore any illegal sale of alcohol would likely contribute directly to the spread of infections. We cannot allow this to happen and we therefore commend the good work of the SAPS,” Pillay said.

News24

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