In response to increasing violations of the Disaster Management Act regulations, the South African Police Service continues to intensify its operations at non-compliant taverns and liquor outlets in the rural and urban areas.
On Saturday, 23 January 2021, police arrested three male suspects aged between 27 and 45 at Extension 7 in Msobomvu Township, Butterworth for non-compliance with the Disaster Management Act Regulations. The arrests were effected by an intelligence-led integration of forces that included detectives and visible policing.
According to information, Operation ‘Tight Grip’ was conducted in response to several complaints and information received from the community about a local Tavern that disregarded the lockdown regulations against the selling of liquor. After a two-week-long observation and investigation on the activities of the tavern, the owner, along with two of his workers were arrested by the police for selling liquor and using so-called black market prices.