Moonshine operation busted in Norway

[rubelstrudel]

A moonshine operation was busted by a police raid in Verdal, Norway on March 6. 2018. Trial ended recently with a 2 month prison sentence and a eqv. 10k USD fine.
Verdal is in an area famous for its moonshining traditions. Convicted operator claims to only produce for his own consumption. The repeated payments to his bankaccount of about eqv. 100USD each was "gifts from friends" he claims. Court finds the explanation "not trustworthy".

The still

The still

Storage tanks

Storage tanks

The sugar, yeast, plastic and sinister looking police

Police posing with sugar

Another tank

Police posing

Different operation, same town, busted in 2014

Verdal 2014

And same place, in 2011

Verdal 2011

This looks suspiciously like the still busted in 2014, just not so banged up.
Maybe the police should check their evidence locker.

[fizzix]

I'm convinced those 300-gallon tanks were just for occasional, personal use.

[rubelstrudel]

In 2015, in another part of norway, two pensioneers were busted for their operation:

Karmøy 2015 - the pension boosting operation

[Pikey]

I'm convinced those 300-gallon tanks were just for occasional, personal use.

I've been wondering about getting one of those for Cooling Water ! -

All that plastic tho' - Not members here methinks !

[kiwi Bruce]

What are the taxes on booze like, in Norway ?

[rubelstrudel]

Norwegian tax on alcohol is
7.58 NOK*Volume(L)*%ABV for anything over 22%ABV
4.94 NOK*Volume(L)*%ABV for anything under 22%ABV

So the tax on 1L of 50% abv liquor = 7.58 NOK * 1 * 50 = 379 NOK ~ 45 USD
On top of that we have 25% VAT (Yest there's VAT on the tax too) so the real tax will be 379 * 1.25 = 473 NOK ~ 56USD

However, if you dillute the same bottle with water to a total of 3L volume, then the tax would be only 247 NOK (excl VAT) / 308 NOK (incl VAT)

[bluefish_dist]

I'm convinced those 300-gallon tanks were just for occasional, personal use.

I've been wondering about getting one of those for Cooling Water ! -

All that plastic tho' - Not members here methinks !

I use two of those for cooling water. Work great. They are cheap as well.

[Bushman]

I have also seen them used for cooling at craft distilleries here in Washington.

[Pikey]

I'm convinced those 300-gallon tanks were just for occasional, personal use.

I've been wondering about getting one of those for Cooling Water ! -

All that plastic tho' - Not members here methinks !

I use two of those for cooling water. Work great. They are cheap as well.

That's what I think the Norwegian Guy was doing with them !

How do you keep the water "sweet" bluefish ? I have visions of a green slimey mess

[Pikey]

Norwegian tax on alcohol is

..........So the tax on 1L of 50% abv liquor = 7.58 NOK * 1 * 50 = 379 NOK ~ 45 USD
On top of that we have 25% VAT (Yest there's VAT on the tax too) so the real tax will be 379 * 1.25 = 473 NOK ~ 56USD

However, if you dillute the same bottle with water to a total of 3L volume, then the tax would be only 247 NOK (excl VAT) / 308 NOK (incl VAT)

You can see how a lad could get tempted to dispense a little cheer to a few good people at those rates !

[Edit - They're connected to EU aren't they ? How does that work with importing booze from EU for personal consumption, returning from holidays etc ? ]

[rubelstrudel]

There is a small tax free quota. 1l of spirits, or 3l of wine. Beyond that you declare and pay when crossing the border.

Sent fra min SHIELD Tablet via Tapatalk

[Pikey]

Thank you that is interesting

I have to wonder as to WHY ? the tax should be so ridiculous ?

What is the propaganda they are feeding out into the population as to why only the rich are allowed alcohol ?

[HDNB]

wow is that per litre of 40% or of "litre of absolute alcohol"?

in Canada the feds step ion it of 12.10 per LAA and the province adds the approximate equivalent of 12 dollars per 750mL of 40%

a 750 of 40% is taxed roughly 16.50 plus VAT (on the tax too) ((no such thing as double taxation eh?)) (((triple if you count that you are paying with after-tax dollars)))

no bloody wonder this hobby gains popularity.

[rubelstrudel]

My example was for a bottle of 50%, the tax on a bottle of 100% would be double that, if that was legal to sell or import.

Actually home distilling was something everybody did back in the 60s and 70s. The popularity of small home distilling rigs has waned significantly as the economy has strenghtened over the years. Most people will now just pay the tax to get some quality booze instead of making swill at home. Lots of people still have old style CM stills standing somewhere in the back of an old shed. Grandpa's old still. Even if it is illegal even to own one of those. But few bother to use them.

The different types of illegal distillers operating right now are:
1) The kids - they mostly go for low temp plastic fantastic stills during the winter. They're in it to get drunk.
2) The mob - largish "factories" producing swill for sale
3) The enthusiasts - people like me who want to make good stuff , and kids who graduate to the next level
4) The geezers - Holdouts from the boom times who keep on stilling the old way - with their CM buckets.

Here are a couple of typical old style CM stills

Typical CM style still

Another old style still

An interesting side effect of the high tax is that REALLY good booze, like old whisky and cognac often are cheaper in norway since the state monopoly booze shops has to sell their bottles at a fixed markup. No price hikes for stuff that is gaining popularity. A good example is my bottle of 1973 karuizawa whisky that I bought for 1600 NOK when it was allready going for double that in online auctions.

[goose eye]

Don't care what part of the world you from there gonna be folks workin in the 2nd oldest profession .
Bootleggin

So I'm tole

[Squint]

I'm convinced those 300-gallon tanks were just for occasional, personal use.

I've been wondering about getting one of those for Cooling Water ! -

All that plastic tho' - Not members here methinks !

I use two of those for cooling water. Work great. They are cheap as well.

That's what I think the Norwegian Guy was doing with them !

How do you keep the water "sweet" bluefish ? I have visions of a green slimey mess

Get a Black one, they are available in the UK, or paint a clear one Black ( keep the light away from them ) or treat it as you would swimming pool water

[bluefish_dist]

I'm convinced those 300-gallon tanks were just for occasional, personal use.

I've been wondering about getting one of those for Cooling Water ! -

All that plastic tho' - Not members here methinks !

I use two of those for cooling water. Work great. They are cheap as well.

That's what I think the Norwegian Guy was doing with them !

How do you keep the water "sweet" bluefish ? I have visions of a green slimey mess

To answer the question on cooling water, I dose it with starsan. Keeps it acidic and not much grows in it.