DRUNK DRIVING VIOLATIONS DECLINE DURING UB’S TEMPORARY ALCOHOL SALES BAN

Last Friday, a working group led by Deputy Mayor J.Batbayasgalan reported that traffic accidents caused by drunk drivers decreased by 83.3 percent, and the number of drivers arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol declined by 56.8 percent in Ulaanbaatar during a temporary ban on the sale and distribution of alcohol.

The temporary ban was in effect from January 17 to 20, ordered by the Ulaanbaatar Mayor’s Office to ensure public safety after five people died in Bayangol District due to poisoning by an undetermined liquid substance on January 16. The working group lifted the ban at 11:59 p.m. on January 20, and the sale and distribution of alcoholic beverages was allowed to resume.

“The police haven’t received another report about alcohol poisoning since the sale and distribution of alcohol was prohibited. The working group determined that there was no reason to believe that a certain product caused the poisoning, and it was decided that it was unnecessary to extend the ban,” said A.Davaajargal, secretary of the working group and a legal officer at the Ulaanbaatar Mayor’s Office.

“The ban until January 20 was very well enforced. Residents and businesses were very cooperative, as they understood the importance of the ban very well. Thanks to their cooperation, we are seeing good results, and crimes in the capital decreased by more than 50 percent,” said J.Batbayasgalan.

The Bayanzurkh District Police Department found one store that continued selling alcoholic beverages and took two inebriated people into custody during the three-day ban.

According to A.Davaajargal, the National Institute of Forensic Science will announce the results of its analysis of samples of the substances believed to have been consumed by the five people who died last week.