Ivory Park shebeen shut down after police discover permit belonged to previous owner

Ivory Park shebeen shut down after police discover permit belonged to previous owner

A routine compliance inspection in Ivory Park has resulted in the arrest of a 45-year-old woman after police allegedly discovered she was running a shebeen using a liquor permit issued to someone else.

The operation, carried out in Extension 10 on Tuesday, forms part of Gauteng’s ongoing crackdown on illegal liquor trading and businesses operating outside the province’s licensing laws.

Joint police operation leads to arrest

The arrest followed a joint operation involving the Gauteng Provincial FLASH (PHO) Liquor Control Team and the Ivory Park SAPS Designated Liquor Officer (DLO).

According to police spokesperson Captain Tintswalo Sibeko, officers acted on information they had received before conducting an inspection at the liquor outlet.

During the inspection, police allegedly established that the shebeen was operating under a permit that had been issued to the previous owner of the property rather than the current operator.

Authorities immediately shut down the premises, confiscated the alcohol found on site and arrested the woman.

Court appearance expected

The suspect is expected to appear before the Tembisa Magistrate’s Court, where she will face a charge of allegedly contravening Section 127(a) of the Gauteng Liquor Act 2 of 2003.

Police have not disclosed the quantity of liquor confiscated during the operation.

Why liquor permits matter

In Gauteng, liquor licences and shebeen permits are issued to specific individuals or entities and are subject to strict legal requirements. When ownership of a business changes, the necessary legal processes must generally be followed before trading can continue under a valid permit.

Operating a liquor outlet without the appropriate authorisation can result in criminal charges, the closure of the premises and the seizure of alcohol.

Gauteng’s compliance drive continues

The latest arrest comes as law enforcement agencies continue conducting inspections across Gauteng to identify businesses that are operating without the correct licences or in breach of liquor regulations.

Police say these operations are aimed at improving compliance with provincial liquor laws while curbing the unlawful sale of alcohol.

Authorities have encouraged liquor traders to ensure all permits and licences are valid and correctly registered to avoid facing enforcement action.

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Source: iol.co.za