The incredible illegal distillery which made 1.3m litres of bootleg alcohol

Daily Mail ^ | Last updated at 6:58 PM on 12th July 2010 | By Daily Mail Reporter

[Niuhuru]

The ringleader of a bootleg alcohol gang which produced more than a million litres of illegal vodka costing the taxman £10 million in lost revenue was jailed for 12 years today.

Harvey Conroy ran a 'determined and professional' outfit which produced fake vodka and tobacco without paying excise duty or VAT, defrauding the state of millions of pounds.

Richard Christie QC, for the prosecution, said Conroy orchestrated the fraud in a bid to make massive profits, with the factories working 24 hours-a-day

[Niuhuru]

I hate this, builds his own booze making business, makes a fortune, and the stupid state gets upset over not getting their cut.

[pappyone]

“...produced fake vodka and tobacco...”

So what was the crime?

[ReneeLynn]

So, it’s only real vodka if he pays tax on it?

[Niuhuru]

Nothing. Pity he didn’t go to China and build his own business there. Or Thailand or Singapore. Countries that don’t punish big business.

[Izzy Dunne]

I’m confused by the wording - they call it “fake vodka” and “fake tobacco”, but it looks like it’s real vodka/tobacco, with fake packaging.

[Titus Quinctius Cincinnatus]

costing the taxman £10 million in lost revenue

Until this sort of mindset - that not paying taxes on something is "lost revenue" that "costs" the taxman - is dealt with, we'll never see real change on either side of the pond.

[Niuhuru]

I’m flummoxed about that too.

[muawiyah]

Interesting how you make "fake tobacco". Does the EU have a tax for the stuff?

And how common is the practice ~ like can anybody depend on anything in EU anymore if they are able to peddle fake tobacco!

[trickyricky]

The one I like even better is "Your Share of the National Debt".

FOX springs this crap every so often.

Every time they do I e-mail them to inform them that I am in no way responsible
for any debts or obligations incurred by the federal government of the United States.

[Lonesome in Massachussets]

Galdarned Revenuers.

[RobRoy]

>>So what was the crime?<<

He didn’t pay the Don his cut.

[TheThinker]

Yeah, I like how they said the illegal distillery “cost” the taxman millions. It didn’t cost them anything. They just didn’t gain as much as they wanted.

[jessduntno]

Geez, why make it when it’s legal? Still an underground for it? Wait...isn’t that why we want to legalize drugs, to do away with crime and gangs?

[Liberty Valance]

"We're not bp"

[The Comedian]

Until this sort of mindset - that not paying taxes on something is "lost revenue" that "costs" the taxman - is dealt with, we'll never see real change on either side of the pond.

Having a safe with your valuables locked away within "costs" the criminal class "lost revenue".

Frowning takes 68 muscles.
Smiling takes 6.
Pulling this trigger takes 2.
I'm lazy.

[colorado tanker]

Hey, what's the harm in a little 'shine?

[Dr.Zoidberg]

It’s a shame really, being a bootlegger over here he could be considered the grand patriarch of a political dynasty.

[varyouga]

“Geez, why make it when it’s legal?”

It’s all about money. High taxes and prohibition on anything encourage an underground market. You can see it in anything from handbags to coffee.

People want to buy whatever they want from stores that are safe, regulated and cheap. The fact that something is illegal does not remove the “want”. It only encourages people to buy dangerous, unregulated, and overpriced products while funding violent criminals through obscene profits.

Law enforcement and government also get a nice cut once they seize assets so regulation is in their favor. With these prohibition/tax policies, we all get screwed and less free under the guise of safety with no actual results to show for it.

Of course there are those who benefit: government and those that choose to exploit the risky but profitable market that the government created for them (and often allows those with connections to stay in business).

[jessduntno]

But...isn’t that why we want to legalize drugs, to do away with crime and gangs?

[massgopguy]

History Channel had a great episode on Appalachia yesterday morning. Moon Shining is just a part of the culture.