Police uncover record stash of black market alcohol in WA
Updated
Police have uncovered one of the biggest stashes of black market alcohol found in WA, as well as the first home distillery being used to supply the illegal trade.
On Wednesday, officers received a tip-off about a home brewing operation being run in a house in Old Broome, and raided the property.
Constable Lynden Ganzer, from the Kimberley Liquor Enforcement unit, said they found 300 litres of alcohol and a relatively sophisticated production set-up.
"We found two drums of fermenting beer and two drums of fermenting spirits, and found shelves and cupboards full of already distilled spirits and brewed beer, which we will allege was ready to sell," he said.
"[What] we allege is that the person was distilling his own alcohol, including beer and spirits, and then selling that on to members of the public who approached him."
The patchwork of liquor restrictions in place across the Kimberley has spawned a lucrative black market, in which cartons of beer and bottles of spirits sell for as much as $150.
In recent years, police have stepped up vehicle searches and inspections of parks to try to stamp out the trade, which was usually based around the late night on-selling of alcohol purchased earlier at bottle shops.
Constable Ganzer said it was the first time they had encountered alcohol being produced specifically for illegal sale.
"This is the first one we've seen where it's a home-brew set-up, with someone taking the time to go into it and sort of set up their own business," he said.
"It's good to get it off the streets because alcohol is a big problem in the Kimberley and it's something we want to tackle and get a hold on."
Police have interviewed the occupant of the house, and are expecting to lay charges in coming days.
Topics: alcohol, crime, broome-6725
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