Indonesian police steamroller alcohol before Ramadan

SURABAYA, Indonesia: Indonesian police yesterday used a steamroller to crush thousands of bottles of alcohol and torched a huge stash of seized drugs ahead of Ramadan in the world’s most populous Muslim-majority country.

Islam’s holiest month is due to begin this weekend, with observant Muslims across the world abstaining from eating, drinking, smoking and sex between sunrise and sunset.

Indonesian authorities typically make a show of seizing large quantities of drink and destroying it in the run- up to Ramadan in a reminder to Muslims to abstain from drinking alcohol, which is against Islamic law.

In the second-biggest city of Surabaya, on Java island, authorities used an steamroller to crush about 10,000 bottles of alcohol in a public display in the courtyard of a police station.

The destroyed haul included many bottles of the national beer, Bintang, as well as other ales and clear plastic containers of homemade liquor, which can be dangerous as it is often mixed with toxic substances.

The beer was being sold at unlicensed premises while the homemade brew was illegally produced.

Local police spokeswoman Lily Djafar said the alcohol was confiscated “in the month before Ramadan during an operation across Surabaya”. — AFP