Image: No booze on the streets of Gianyar tonight. Credit: marieclaire.com.uk.
To prevent a boozy Nyepi celebration in the area, Gianyar police flushed 1,503 liters of illegal, homemade booze down the drain at the Gianyar police headquarters on Thursday.
The destroyed traditional homemade arak and tuak was confiscated during the police’s Cipta Kondisi Operation held last week.
The destruction process was overseen by the Head of Gianyar Polres, AKBP Djoni Widodo, and was attended by various agencies from Gianyar District Government, the military, courts, traditional village and several public figures.
“Doing this is a form of anticipation to maintain law and order and prevent binge drinking during Pangerupukan, or Nyepi eve, when many teenagers will be looking to get drunk,” he said.
Widodo also said that his team will confiscate any of the illegal booze if residents consume it during Pangerupukan. “We will confiscate the booze,” he said and explained that alcohol consumption until drunk can lead to conflicts.
“If they are drunk, it will influence their behavior. They will get angry easily. That’s why it would be better if they don’t consume any of this booze,” he said to balipost.com.
The 1,503 liters of illegally made booze was confiscated from several distributors and retailers. The owners have been punished with minor offences. “If a litre can be consumed by 3 people, than with this amount can be consumed by more than 3,000 people,” he concluded.
