The New York State Department of Taxation and Finance and the State Liquor Authority (SLA) today announced the arrest of a Brooklyn resident for selling untaxed and illegally purchased liquor.

The Tax Department seized more than 200 cases of untaxed liquor (approximately 2011 liters) and charged Juan P. Lopez, 50, of 67 Saint Felix St., with one felony for being an unregistered liquor distributor.

The defendant was additionally charged with two misdemeanors related to the Taw Law for the sale of alcoholic beverages without paying tax and possessing more than 360 liters of untaxed liquor, plus two misdemeanors related to the Alcoholic Beverage Control Law, purchasing alcoholic beverages from an unlicensed entity, and selling the alcohol purchased as an unauthorized seller. 

Lopez was released on his own recognizance and is scheduled to return to Kings County Court on March 13.  The case is being prosecuted by the Kings County District Attorney.

After receiving a tip from the SLA, investigators from the Tax Department’s Criminal Investigations Division (CID) set up surveillance of a store called Best Buy at 701 Fulton Street in Brooklyn.  The establishment is managed by Lopez and is licensed with the SLA as MS Wine Shop, Inc.

The SLA said it has initiated the process of revoking the license of MS Wine Shop given the charges against it.

The Department said two vehicles with New York license plates arrived late one evening with 1,161 liters of untaxed liquor purchased in New Hampshire.  With the help of another person in the store, the two drivers prepared to move the liquor into the shop – but CID investigators swept in and took Lopez, the other driver, and the shop employee into custody for questioning.  Lopez was arrested while the other two men were released.  The two vehicles and the 1,161 liters of liquor were seized.

One night later, executing two search warrants, investigators entered the defendant’s residence and the store, seizing an additional 850 liters of suspected untaxed liquor along with $3,933 in cash, three point-of-sale computers and financial records.

A criminal complaint is an accusation and the defendant is presumed innocent until proven guilty.

PHOTO:

These cases of alcohol, stacked in a Brooklyn liquor store, were among 200 cases seized by the NYS Tax Department.  The store's manager faces a felony charge as an unregistered liquor distributor.