Raid on illegal Bolton distillery

[Chippy_Tea]

i am a massive fan of moonshiners but when I was reading on the internet about them, it’s rumoured that there only distilling water. hance why they never been caught. And the show is aloud to air.

I watched a few of those but it all seemed set up so i gave up.

@Bearded_jimmy - As you are a new member and may be unaware the forum rules don't allow us to discuss distilling (the method) but as the equipment is legally allowed to be bought here no rules have been broken.

 

[Bearded_jimmy]

I watched a few of those but it all seemed set up so i gave up.

yea there are, but I can’t help it, it’s a guilty pleasure of mine. To be honest i didn’t think that there was illegal distillery here till I seen the bolton raid.

 

[Dads_Ale]

i am a massive fan of moonshiners but when I was reading on the internet about them, it’s rumoured that there only distilling water. hance why they never been caught. And the show is aloud to air.

It is so obviously set up as if it were real all the police would have to do is watch the next episode to nick them and they have video evidence.

 

[EsterBanana]

Then one thing that does annoy me about these illegal operations, is that they are the kind of thing that makes certain types in the authorities clamp down, next thing it will be licenses to brew beer... shhhhh don't give them ideas!

I am all for a little bit for personal and friends, even not registering while you're 'getting going' but that kind of operation should have gone legit, they clearly have the skills and resources to do so,, it baffles me why they didn't do this. The could now be well established instead of looking at big fines or even jail time.

 

[Chippy_Tea]

To be honest i didn’t think that there was illegal distillery here till I seen the bolton raid.

As the equipment is so easy to get hold of legally i would be surprised if this is not fairly common like cannabis farms unheard of a few years ago now every council estate has at least one and believe me i know i live in one, everyone knows who the dealers are including the police but its so rife now they only seem to go after the county lines dealers and leave the small fish alone.

 

[Dads_Ale]

Then one thing that does annoy me about these illegal operations, is that they are the kind of thing that makes certain types in the authorities clamp down, next thing it will be licenses to brew beer... shhhhh don't give them ideas!

I am all for a little bit for personal and friends, even not registering while you're 'getting going' but that kind of operation should have gone legit, they clearly have the skills and resources to do so,, it baffles me why they didn't do this. The could now be well established instead of looking at big fines or even jail time.

Simple answer is to avoid paying duty.

 

[Brewnaldo]

I know a few people who distill small, personal quantities. Genuinely unsure how they have reached the conclusion, but they seem pretty sure that Customs/Cops are not interested in the slightest in hobby distillers, until you try to make so much as a quid from it. Once you opt to sell, you will be in serious **** if caught.

As an aside, that alembic thingy is a beautiful bit of kit.

 

[EsterBanana]

Simple answer is to avoid paying duty.

Of course, I still find it baffling though because even paying duty they would still have been able to make a good business. Of course duty does count for a significant portion, so yeah, I guess it's a case of stupidity and greed going hand in hand. Bet they wish they had paid now heh!

like cannabis farms unheard of a few years ago now every council estate has at least one and believe me i know i live in one,

 

[Chippy_Tea]

Of course, I still find it baffling though because even paying duty they would still have been able to make a good business.

This is Shed 1 Gin in my home town they started in the garden shed (see below) and a few years later they moved into much bigger premises (pic 2) where they opened a Visitor Attraction, which was shortlisted in The World Gin Awards, Best Gin Visitor Attraction, 2021.

We started in our Garden Shed and moved to The Old Calf Shed in 2019. Here, we opened a Visitor Attraction, which was shortlisted in The World Gin Awards, Best Gin Visitor Attraction, 2021.
We offer Cumbria’s only Make Your Own Gin Experiences, as well as Distillery Tours and Tastings and a botanical-inspired Afternoon G&Tea.
Our awards include Great Taste, Crafdi and The World Gin Awards, plus the Gin Distillery won The Gin Guide’s, Small Producer, Environmental Sustainability Award, 2020. Cuckold’s Revenge, the very first Gin we created, is featured in “101 Gins To Try Before You Die”!
We’re looking forward to seeing you at The Shed, in the meantime all online orders include free, nationwide, delivery.
Cheers!

https://shed1distillery.com/about-us-our-gins/

 

[EsterBanana]

This is Shed 1 Gin in my home town they started in the garden shed (see below) and a few years later they moved into much bigger premises (pic 2) where they opened a Visitor Attraction, which was shortlisted in The World Gin Awards, Best Gin Visitor Attraction, 2021.


View attachment 57643


View attachment 57640

We started in our Garden Shed and moved to The Old Calf Shed in 2019. Here, we opened a Visitor Attraction, which was shortlisted in The World Gin Awards, Best Gin Visitor Attraction, 2021.
We offer Cumbria’s only Make Your Own Gin Experiences, as well as Distillery Tours and Tastings and a botanical-inspired Afternoon G&Tea.
Our awards include Great Taste, Crafdi and The World Gin Awards, plus the Gin Distillery won The Gin Guide’s, Small Producer, Environmental Sustainability Award, 2020. Cuckold’s Revenge, the very first Gin we created, is featured in “101 Gins To Try Before You Die”!
We’re looking forward to seeing you at The Shed, in the meantime all online orders include free, nationwide, delivery.
Cheers!

https://shed1distillery.com/about-us-our-gins/

View attachment 57644

View attachment 57642

A perfect example!!

 

[DavidDetroit]

The laws in this country are crazy.

I think we have the same issue here--things that make absolutely no sense.
Guns are another example. You can't have an automatic but you can buy the parts and do it yourself. So dumb.

 

[DavidDetroit]

Marijuana has been mentioned a few times and it reminded me that it's legal here now in many or most states but the funny thing is that it's not legal on a federal level so you could be fine with our city or State police but get busted by an FBI agent or the like.
Doesn't make sense and I won't say I understand it very well.

 

[Chippy_Tea]

Marijuana has been mentioned a few times and it reminded me that it's legal here now in many or most states but the funny thing is that it's not legal on a federal level

Its illegal here unless prescribed.




Medical cannabis (and cannabis oils)

"Medical cannabis" is a broad term for any sort of cannabis-based medicine used to relieve symptoms.
Many cannabis-based products are available to buy online, but their quality and content is not known. They may be illegal and potentially dangerous.
Some products that might claim to be medical cannabis, such as "CBD oil" or hemp oil, are available to buy legally as food supplements from health stores. But there's no guarantee these are of good quality or provide any health benefits.

And some cannabis-based products are available on prescription as medicinal cannabis. These are only likely to benefit a very small number of patients.
Can I get a prescription for medical cannabis?
Very few people in England are likely to get a prescription for medical cannabis.
Currently, it is only likely to be prescribed for the following conditions:

• children and adults with rare, severe forms of epilepsy
• adults with vomiting or nausea caused by chemotherapy
• people with muscle stiffness and spasms caused by multiple sclerosis (MS)

It would only be considered when other treatments were not suitable or had not helped.

https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/medical-cannabis/

 

[DavidDetroit]

Its illegal here unless prescribed.

I smell it all the time now because the houses lie west to east and the wind is generally from the west. As a result, I get heavy pot smell too often.
I find that so annoying since neither of us smoke it. I wish they'd smoke inside but oh well. I smell it a lot more often while out on the motorcycle since it became legal.

 

[johnny108]

i am a massive fan of moonshiners but when I was reading on the internet about them, it’s rumoured that there only distilling water. hance why they never been caught. And the show is aloud to air.

The moonshiners show, sadly, is fake. If they actually distilled alcohol, and the film crew was there, documenting it, the film crew could be arrested on a conspiracy to evade federal alcohol tax laws- That’s a felony charge! No tv channel legal department would ok that. Sorry.

 

[devexwarrior]

Do they auction off the stuff they confiscate (apart from the alcohol/drugs) might be a good auction for local home brewers coming up.

I believe there are auctions of seized equipment through the country. The brewing kit might go for sale.

 

[RoomWithABrew]

A lot of people do actually have stills to make distilled water, we had one in every dental practice I ever worked in to supply the autoclave.
Doubt the autoclave would have done so well if alcohol was put in by mistake!

 

[YeastFace]

Marijuana has been mentioned a few times and it reminded me that it's legal here now in many or most states but the funny thing is that it's not legal on a federal level so you could be fine with our city or State police but get busted by an FBI agent or the like.
Doesn't make sense and I won't say I understand it very well.

Surely it can only have federal involvement if it crosses state lines? It still doesn't make much sense if you're going from one green state to another, but then again isn't duty & taxation at state level which is why it would need federal involvement?

 

[DavidDetroit]

Surely it can only have federal involvement if it crosses state lines?

I think I mentioned that I lack knowledge on the subject which I'm okay with. If I were a buyer or seller, I would. I don't doubt that you're right and what you say makes sense.
I only found it strange that there's an "It's okay in one respect but not okay in another." The reason for that is either something is wrong or it isn't which is just my feeling.

 

[johnny108]

Marijuana wasn’t outlawed in the US- it was taxed out of legality. Originally.
The federal government has the right to levy taxes, but not to simply ban things, so marijuana was taxed at $17/gm., a princely sum at the time (1937).
Now, the government has given itself power to outright ban things, which previous generations of politicians were smart enough to know that they didn’t have, and the citizens were smart enough to not let them grant themselves.