RCMP in Whatì say they stopped over 100 bottles of liquor from entering the community, where alcohol is prohibited under the NWT Liquor Act.
On two separate occasions, police say they intercepted alcohol on route to the community.
Back on July 22, Whatì RCMP seized 54 mickie bottles of liquor.
On August 10 police seized an additional 50 mickie bottles of liquor.
The booze was seized at the boat launch in the community, Mounties stated.
They add charges are pending so they won’t identify the suspect, say where he is from or where the booze had been shipped from.
Police also haven’t said whether they were tipped off to either shipment.
“These seizures are significant for a small community of just under 500 people” states Sergeant Ken Beard, Acting RCMP South District Officer. “Substance abuse remains to be a top priority for the Whatì detachment. The illegal sale of alcohol is targeting their most vulnerable citizens, and this seizure helps in reducing the harm caused by illegal alcohol in the community.”
The investigation is still ongoing, and Whatì RCMP are hoping to lay charges under the NWT Liquor Control Act.
Earlier this month, MLA Tom Beaulieu called on the government to end bulk buying at the liquor store, particularly mickie bottles, the preferred choice of the territory’s bootleggers.
Anyone with information on illegal sales of alcohol is asked to call Whatì RCMP at 573-1111, contact Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477 nwtnutips.com, (click on “submit a web tip”) or text: “nwtnutips” plus your message to 274637.
