SOMALIA: Puntland cracksdown on liquor sales and consumption in Galkayo
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LAS ANOD — Somalia’s semi-autonomous region of Puntland launched a campaign to control liquor sales in the central town of Galkayo on Saturday.
Police in the north of the town confiscated hundreds of thousands of bottles consisting of wine, whisky and beer according to Ahmed Musse, a police officer. He claimed a number of arrests were made in connection with the sales and consumption of alcohol.
alcohol bottles - Shabelle Media
He said it was part of an ongoing efforts to tackle escalating security and crimes problems in the town. He added the town was struggling with a combination of alcohol abuses by youth gangs and extremist groups.
Finally he called on the residents to inform police of anyone selling or consuming the illegal drinks and other suspicious behaviours.
In February similar operations were carried out in Gara’ad in Mudug and in Garowe. About 1000 bottles of liquor were destroyed. A local court sentenced several men up to two years in prison and fined them $200.
Islam prohibits the consumption of alcohol and Somalia has strict laws against drinking. Many expatriates and locals rely heavily on a large black market for alcohol. The substance is often smuggled into Somalia from different regions and by different means but most of it is smuggled through the port of Bosasso by ferries.
In recent weeks, a number of Puntland security officials were targeted in the town few escaping narrow assassination attempts. The police blames radical groups and gangs operating in the town.
Piracy: Puntland’s main source of income
Puntland is a semi-autonomous region in Somalia’s north and is centered on its regional administration capital of Garowe. The region is home to Somalia’s leading pirate bases and it is believed many of its political and business figures including President Abdulrahman Farole have ties with piracy. President Farole is said to have cashed in close to $8 million in ransom in the last several years.
The region’s annual budget is about $25 million excluding piracy looting but in the last few years piracy has injected roughly $30-35 million per annum. Piracy has become Puntland’s main industry and the mainstay of the local economy. The community here from tribal elders, businesses, political figures to those based in the Diaspora are actively investing in the trade.
Many of them pay for operating costs which often includes fuel, arms and wages for the pirates. According to Somali pirates they often split the ransom on agreed formula — hijackers receive 50 percent, investors get 35 percent, and ship guards get the remaining 15 percent.
In recent weeks, the Puntland regime came under fire from a number of international states including the United States after four Americans killed by Somali pirates in a hostage standoff. Denmark equally pressured the leaders after it learned seven of its citizens including three children were captured in the pirate-infested waters off the coast of Somalia and were heading to Puntland region. The Danish government said it was deeply concern about situation in particular for the children on the boat.
On Friday, the Puntland police attacked pirates in based in a small village called Hol-Anood located in the Bandar-Beyla district of Karkar. At least 11 police men were killed and scores others wounded– the Puntland forces retreated. The police commissioner of Puntland General Ali Nur Omar told VOA the gang were getting assistance from Al-Shabab, a claim the pirates rejected.
Elders from the region intervened and urged both groups to return to their bases.
At least 850 hostages and 48 foreign vessels are held in the Puntland and Harardheere region.
