A school taxi driver was arrested on Tuesday after he was caught using the van he drives to transport laaities to buy dop in Ottery.
The 46-year-old man from Vrygrond and his friend were caught by Grassy Park cops while making their way to a smokkie in Overcome Heights yesterday morning.
Station commander, Colonel Dawood Laing, says cops became suspicious when they saw the Toyota Condor with a sticker indicating the vehicle was used for scholar transport but was filled with more than 15 cases of beer.
“At 10.45am, the officers were patrolling the business area in Ottery when they spotted the vehicle,” says Laing.
“The large amount of liquor was clearly visible and officers pulled the vehicle over and started to question the men.
“They told cops that they had a shebeen in Overcome Heights and had come to get alcohol.”
Laing says the men were taken to the station where they were questioned extensively after it was found that they did not have a liquor licence.
“Even if they had a legal liquor outlet, the law requires the owner to be in possession of it when buying or collecting alcohol and he did not have any papers on him,” he says.
“It was confirmed the vehicle was registered in his name and officers confiscated 255 litres of alcohol. This included beers and that cheap crackling wine.”
Laing says the man remained toebek about his scholar transport business and refused to answer any questions about which schools he services.
The man was issued with a R1000 fine and released.