The Somaliland Police Force, specifically the Western Hargeisa Division, yesterday displayed seized expired food items, including sugar, rice, and alcoholic beverages, which were jointly burned by the Marodijeh Regional Court, the Prosecutor’s Office, and the Western Division Command in Hargeisa.
The Commander of the Western Division of the Hargeisa Police, Muse Hassan Kahin, stated that they burnt 234 liters of alcohol and 62 bales of expired or spoiled goods. He added that those caught with the alcohol and expired food have been brought before the law.
The Commander further noted that the expired food and alcoholic beverages were intended for sale to the public, issuing a warning to individuals he accused of habitually trading in alcohol and expired food, both of which pose significant risks to public health and safety.
Commander Muse Hassan Kahin emphasized that anyone attempting such acts to harm the community will not escape security forces, and those apprehended will face punishment commensurate with their crimes.
On the other hand, a court official stated that while some individuals involved in transporting the alcohol escaped after the police pursued them, only the alcoholic beverages were seized. However, those accused of handling the expired food are in custody and have been brought before the court. The seizure of the alcohol and expired food was successfully carried out at the Hargeisa Central Police Station and the Ahmed Dagah Police Station.
The official further explained that, based on their observations, the alcoholic beverages were initially a national concern, but the batch burned this time was different as it was expired alcohol. Regarding the seized sugar, it was collected from sugar spilled on the ground during unloading at the port.