The raid of two Kentucky bourbon stores last month may point to a wider string of illegal bourbon shipments across state lines.
A mid-January raid of two Justin’s House of Bourbon locations in Louisville is believed to be linked to a national investigation into illegally-transported alcohol, according to the Lexington Herald. On the same day of the Kentucky retailer’s investigation, officials uncovered hundreds of top-shelf bottles in a Washington D.C. raid of the Justin’s House of Bourbon warehouse.
A new report filed in Washington, D.C points to 11 alleged violations across multiple states. Products found in the D.C. raid are believed to have been brought into the district through improper and illegal channels. According to the report, this includes the alleged illegal importing of alcohol products from outside the U.S. and transporting them into Washington, D.C. unlawfully.
D.C. investigators are collaborating with alcohol agencies at the federal level and in Kentucky, Texas, and Pennsylvania. The report states that hundreds of bottles of Blanton’s, a single-barrel bourbon that’s notoriously difficult to find, were confiscated by the U.S. Department of Treasury, Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau.
Agents seized “numerous” bottles from Justin’s House of Bourbon, which is known for its sale of vintage bourbon coveted by collectors. A whiskey blog run by writer Fred Minnick first broke on the news. The state did not disclose how much bourbon was seized during the investigation.
The Kentucky Public Protection Cabinet released a brief statement following the January raid, according to the Lexington Herald:
“ABC received complaints alleging several violations associated with Justins’ House of Bourbon for the improper acquisition, possession, transport, and sale of bourbon, including vintage distilled spirits.”
Investigators have not yet released specifics on the number of individuals, businesses, or products involved in illegal activity. No charges have yet been filed.
