Illegal booze sale on the rise

Manama : Alcohol lovers these days have an easy option to get their favourite drink. They neither need a drive to liquor outlets nor chairs in bars, for there are members of various gangs in town who would deliver bottles for lower prices.

What all needed is a simple phone call! Though illegal sale of liquor has always been a lucrative business in the Kingdom, it has in recent times flourished by leaps and bounds. Since Islam doesn’t permit alcohol, the consumption of ‘pleasure drink’ is discouraged or banned in some GCC countries.

In Bahrain, there are authorised outlets to obtain alcohol, while bars are a much expensive alternative. According to sources, all authorised outlets bring down shutters by 9pm and this remains the root cause behind this flourishing illegal activity. Cheaper bills are an added attraction, they said. “A bottle costing BD1.5 can be obtained for BD1 from the black market.”

Sources revealed that these gang members are contacted by both citizens and expats alike to sip their booze of choice. “Although expat gangs are dominating this illegal trade, there are also a few citizens who sell illegal liquor. But expats form the larger customer base and they are afraid of buying liquor from Bahraini sellers, worrying that they could later turn out to be undercover CID officers.

“Citizens also carry the same fear since there are expats working with the CID department. So it’s very simple. Arabs generally buy from Bahraini sellers while expats would opt for expat sellers.” 

Tribune contacted one illegal liquor seller in guise of a customer. “I am basically a cabbie and do this trade to earn extra bucks. I have been in this  business for about five years now and sell alcohol in areas around Umm Al Hassam and Manama,” he said.

When enquired about the origin, the sources said most of these illegal drinks are homemade, while the gang members also manage to smuggle bottles from South Asian countries, mainly from India.