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Tanzania shuts down four alcohol factories in ongoing crackdown

Xinhua, March 3, 2017 Adjust font size:

Tanzanian authorities on Thursday closed four liquor making factories on the first day of the crackdown against the outlawed sachet-packed liquors

The crackdown was conducted by officials from the Vice President's Office, National Environment Management Council (NEMC), Tanzania Food and Drugs Authority (TFDA), Tanzania Bureau of Standards (TBS), Tanzania Revenue Authority and the police.

Heche Suguta, the NEMC Senior Legal Officer, said in a statement that most of the closed factories were operating illegally and most were based in Tanzania's commercial capital, Dar es Salaam.

Suguta explained that soon after the government announced the ban, most of the manufacturers opted to produce and hide the liquor.

According to the NEMC official, some of the factories were also found producing goods which were not in their licenses.

For instance, the official said that some of the factories were licensed to produce liquor but they were found producing drinking water without permits from the responsible authorities such as TBS and TFDA.

Suguta insisted that legal measures will be taken against importers and manufacturers of the products who do not comply with the government order.

Tanzania's major crackdown on producers, importers, distributors and consumers of alcoholic beverages packed in plastic sachets started on March 2 this year and is meant to enforce the ban on the sachet-packed liquor. Endit