Cops refer licenced venue for flouting booze restrictions

POLICE have referred a licenced takeaway venue to the Director of Liquor Licencing for failing to adhere to booze restrictions

Cops are cracking down on the sale of booze to stop alcohol related violence

POLICE have referred a licensed takeaway venue to the Director of Liquor Licensing for its failure to adhere to the restrictions on the sale of takeaway alcohol in the Greater Darwin region.

Restrictions have been in place across the Greater Darwin region since September 14.

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It came as police were swamped with cases of alcohol-fuelled violence and anti-social behaviour.

Superintendent Brendan Muldoon said alcohol-fuelled violence was at a five-year high in July, following a five-year low in April when the biosecurity borders were in place.

The restrictions, which are extended on a weekly basis, are designed to stop grog-running into remote communities, where a bottle of rum can sell for as much as $900.

Month to month data of alcohol related incidents across remote NT. NOTE: The figures are police data based on incidents for the purposes of measuring the effectiveness of the restrictions, and should not be compared to the official monthly AGD prepared statistics which are based on offences. Picture: NT Police

“Since the opening of the biosecurity zones across the Northern Territory and remote areas, we’ve seen a significant rise in alcohol-related incidents from about June,” he said. He said as a result of the restrictions, police had recorded a 22 per cent reduction in alcohol-related incidents across remote NT. However, they were still seizing significant amounts of booze every couple of days.

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Police are focusing on venues which were flouting the restrictions in a bid to stamp out grog-running to remote communities.

“We’ve obtained evidence that they haven’t been complying with ensuring that the people who are purchasing alcohol — takeaway alcohol — have a local residence in the Greater Darwin area,” he said.