Bottles of liquor. FILE | NATION MEDIA GROUP
Africa Review
Saturday, June 01, 2013
Security forces in Puntland, a semiautonomous state in
north-western Somalia, have seized a saloon car carrying 150 bottles of
alcoholic drinks.
According to reports from Mudug region in central
Somalia, the vehicle was intercepted as the smugglers were passing
through Abarey settlement on the outskirts of Galkayo, 750km north of
Mogadishu.
Alcoholic beverages are prohibited in all parts of
Somalia while the Puntland authority often reports seizure of drinks
smuggled from Ethiopia where sale and consumption of alcohol is legal.
Mr Said Abdi Ibrahim, a security officer with Puntland, who led the operation, stated that his unit acted on a tip off.
“We learnt that a Mark II saloon car was transporting bottles with khamri (alcoholic drinks),” said Mr Ibrahim as the vehicle and the occupants were taken to Galkayo.
The officer said that investigations were going on
to determine how and why banned substances were being transported
through the northern outskirts of the town.
“Culprits will face the full force of the law once investigations are completed,” said Mr Ibrahim.
Authorities in Somalia consider alcoholic drinks as being among maandooriyeyaal (drugs) and being in possession of the same attracts jail sentences and fines.
Meanwhile, Somali traditional clan elders received on Thursday elders from Uganda who visited Mogadishu.
The gathering took place at Shamo Hotel in south Mogadishu and attracted Somali leaders of the ranks of Malaaq, Ugas and Sultan.
Others in attendance included intellectuals, women representatives and civil society activists.
The Uganda leaders said their country was ready to make further sacrifices for the stability of Somalia.
Uganda was the first nation to contribute soldiers
to the peacekeeping force serving under the African Union Mission in
Somalia (Amisom).