LOCKDOWN booze restrictions in Australia have sparked fury as cops confiscate beers being delivered to those stuck indoors.

       The country is enforcing one of the world’s strictest lockdowns and has used the military as well as helicopters to help enforce its draconian ‘Zero Covid’ strategy - to widespread criticism.

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       Residents of the Common Ground housing estate have seen booze confiscated, it's claimed Credit: Google maps 5

       Police handcuffing an anti-lockdown protester Credit: AP

       Initially Australia’s strict closed borders policy was able to keep Covid at bay and resulted in far fewer infections and deaths than other countries.

       But its vaccine rollout has been painfully slow, resulting in draconian measures despite extremely low infection rates.

       New South Wales announced an initial lockdown on June 25 after just 22 new cases of the Delta variant were found.

       And at the beginning of August, Melbourne imposed a seven-day lockdown after eight cases were detected.

       The policy has seen furious demonstrations which have spilled over into violence, while hundreds of people have been hit with fines.

       Mask enforcement has been strict and harrowing images show a little girl sat in her handcuffed dad's lap after he was stopped by police for failing to wear one in a Covid hotspot.

       Now the latest over-the-top measure imposed by authorities in New South Wales, to confiscate alcohol to tower block residents, has been greeted with fury.

       The state’s health authorities have imposed rules limiting people living there to a certain amount of alcohol each day.

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       But residents of the Common Ground housing estate have complained packages with booze in them, sent by friends and relatives, have been searched before they are delivered.

       One resident, an artist with the Twitter handle Ms Saffaa, said: “Hey NSW Police, Common Ground residents are wondering what happened to the alcohol and tobacco items dropped off to them last night?

       “And under which powers are you allowed to confiscate them? Last time I checked these are legal to consume in this country.

       “A member of our community has delivered multiple hampers of fresh food, alcohol, and cigarettes, however the alcohol and some cigarette packs have been removed.

       “NSW police are systematically searching our package, mail, and our belongings and now we have items missing.”

       Another resident, Robin Elhaj, said: “They are searching all bags and things coming into the building. They confiscated a series of gifts.”

       Residents are allowed to receive a ration of one of the following - six beers or pre-mixed drinks, one bottle of wine, or one 375ml bottle of spirits, news.com.au reports.

       LOCKDOWN FURY

       One Nation MP Mark Latham slammed the booze limit and what he claimed was the intrusion of "health" measures into people's legal rights.

       He tweeted: "Is there any limit to the fascist tendencies of this NSW Liberal Government?"

       But a NSW Police spokeswoman insisted officers are not confiscating alcohol delivered to residential buildings, and do not have powers to do so.

       “In all residential lockdown locations, NSW Police are there to ensure compliance with the Public Health Orders and assist NSW Health if required,” the Police spokeswoman said.

       A spokeswoman for the Sydney Local Health District said when NSW Health took control of apartment buildings for the purposes of limiting the spread of coronavirus, the buildings became subject to alcohol consumption restrictions.

       As Australians are by beset crippling lockdown measures, Prime Minister Scott Morrison has come under fire for going on a Father’s Day trip with his family.

       Morrison has been accused of “double standards” and of showing “appalling judgment” by rival MPs.

       He said: "I can understand people's frustration, but I do think there has been a lot of misinformation about this.

       "I live in Sydney. I often have to be here [in Canberra] for work, there was no requirement to get an exemption to go to Sydney.”

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       A receipt showing booze that was allegedly confiscated Credit: Twitter 5

       One man's daughter sat on his lap as he was handcuffed Credit: wahash3/TikTok 5

       An anti-lockdown demonstration in Melbourne Credit: Splash

       Australia deploys helicopters and soldiers to order people to GO HOME in one world's strictest Covid lockdowns

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