Government Shuts Down Deputy Minister Modi’s Liquor Outlet

The government shut down a liquor hub owned by Deputy Minister of Industry and Commerce Raj Modi in Bulawayo on Saturday evening, as part of a nationwide crackdown on smuggled goods.

According to eyewitnesses who spoke to CITE, officials entered the premises while customers were still shopping and demanded documentation that was not immediately available. Said a source:

We were in the shop around 6 pm when officials arrived. They asked for paperwork, but it was unavailable, so they ordered the shop to close.

An informed source told CITE that an interministerial task force on smuggling, which includes security organs and the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (ZIMRA), ordered the closure of the outlet over smuggling allegations.

When a CITE news crew visited the outlet, located along Fife Street between 4th and 5th Avenues, on Monday morning, it remained closed.

Contacted for comment, Modi confirmed the closure, describing it as a routine verification process. Modi stated:

Yes, it’s true. There is nothing wrong with it. They said they wanted to check and verify everything, and that was the whole point.

More: Pindula News