IT WAS ELIOT NESS and the Untouchables, as played by the Keystone Kops.So let me see if I've got this straight. The bars purchased the beer legally, but because the importers didn't give the state of PA theirMore than a dozen armed State Police officers conducted simultaneous raids last week on three popular Philadelphia bars known for their wide beer selections. The cops confiscated hundreds of bottles of expensive ales and lagers, now in State Police custody at an undisclosed location.
The alleged offense: Although the bar owners had bought the beer legally from licensed Pennsylvania distributors and had paid all the necessary taxes, the police claimed that nobody had registered the precise names of the beers with the state Liquor Control Board - a process that requires the brewers or their importers to pay a $75 registration fee for each product they want to sell in Pennsylvania.
Rather than go after the importers for the fees, the state chose the easy target. Bars are highly unlikely to raise much of a stink - get that exalted liquor license pulled, and you're little more than a high priced McD's. Basically, the state out-and-out stole from each bar they "confiscated" beer from, and if that beer hasn't been brought home to a couple dozen elected official homes by now I'll be very surprised.
And yet some people think that the state should have a monopoly on force...
That is all.
Link sent to me by reader PISSED, who apparently didn't think my blood pressure was high enough today... ;)
3 comments:
Liquor Control Board leeches.
Tar.
Feathers.
Assembly required.
Enough said.
Hey! Did you hear? There's a party at the Undisclosed Location tonight! All the cool cops are going!
Bluesun beat me too it - figure they will "destroy" the beer to save the populace from the unregistered labels.
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