PPC: Alcohol too much for police alone

By JUNIOR UKAHA
THE lack of a liquor licensing authority in Southern Highlands has made the job of combating illegal sales, smuggling and alcohol drinking difficult, provincial police commander Sibron Papoto says.
Chief Insp Papoto said from Mendi yesterday that alcohol consumption in the province was rife because there was no proper coordination from concerned stakeholders.
“There is no liquor commission and no liquor board,” Papoto said.
“Police alone cannot solve this problem.”
He said since the ban on alcohol was put in place by the Southern Highlands provincial government two years ago, people had been smuggling alcohol into the province through the main checkpoint at Wara Kagul and through the Tambul-Upper Mendi road.
He said the demand for alcohol was high and a bottle of beer sold for K10, with spirits going for more.
“Many people have already been arrested and charged with alcohol related offences,” he said.
Papoto said police had enough fuel for daily operations but for large scale operations like this, it needed extra fuel and logistical support.
“I have 180 regular policemen compared to the 600,000-plus population of the province,” he said.
He said one way to minimise the problem was to allow the courts to impose tougher punishments on offenders.
Papoto welcomed recent commitments made by Governor William Powi and law and order chairman Willie Sapsi to look into the matter and address it.