The authorities in Unity State’s Mayom County have banned the consumption of alcohol and drugs, saying that increased gun violence and related deaths among young people have been recorded since 2023.
County Commissioner John Bol Mayak told RadioTamzaju on Friday that the police are collecting alcohol and drugs from shops across the county.
“The reason we banned alcoholic drinks and drugs is that many people have lost their lives because of alcohol and drugs, and they have been shooting each other and themselves with guns all these years,” he said. “They killed themselves with no clear reason since 2023 up to now, and that is why we have decided to ban alcoholic drinks and drugs because they have become a problem for young people.”
“We encourage people to make local beer and not spirits, and not consume dangerous imported spirits which cause problems,” Bol added.
He said the confiscated alcohol is stored at the police’s criminal investigations department (CID) and that they are waiting for a charge to clear its destruction.
According to the commissioner, CID and National Security personnel have been deployed in markets to identify traders selling alcohol and drugs.
“We do not want our people to kill themselves, Bol stated.
Meanwhile, Jueth Both, a trader in Mayom County, confirmed to this publication that the authorities are cracking down on and confiscating alcohol and drugs, saying it will affect trade and business.
“Alcohol and drugs were indeed collected from us traders in Mayom County, and it is a loss for us because we bought it with so much money from Juba and transported it here,” he lamented.
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