Written by In a press release dated January 7, 2020, the Tennessee Alcoholic Beverage Commission (TABC) disclosed the identities of seven out-of-state businesses, who combined for approximately 1000 illegal direct-to-consumers shipments of alcohol (not wine) in Tennessee, were permanently ordered to cease and desist shipping product into Tennessee. The press release makes it clear that only wine, as opposed to spirits and other types of alcoholic beverages, can be legally shipped direct to consumers in Tennessee.
The businesses issued the cease and desist order were:
- Capjon, Inc. aka Grapeswine dot com of Norwalk, CT
- Little Brothers Beverage Outlet of Flemington, NJ
- Schneider’s of Capitol Hill of Washington D.C.
- Wine and Spirit Discount Warehouse of New Rochelle, NY
- Wine Chateau of Piscataway, NJ
- AK, LLC. aka Perdido Liquors of Pensacola, FL
- Majac, Inc. aka Canal’s Liquors of Merchantville, NJ
How were these businesses targeted you may ask? Well, our Tennessee Department of Revenue (TDOR) received reports from all common carriers which detail the product shipments coming into the state. Tennessee Code Annotated § 57-3- 217 requires common carriers to file alcohol delivery reports to TDOR each month. The reports are made available to the general public on the TDOR website and are used by law enforcement to verify compliance with Tennessee law. The penalty for violating Tennessee’s laws against direct shipping of alcohol, or otherwise selling alcohol without a license, can include felony charges.
Director Thomas summed it up in the press release’s closing: “Direct shipping of alcohol is highly regulated in Tennessee and across the country for many good reasons. Prohibiting minors from obtaining alcohol, ensuring taxes are being paid, and protecting law abiding businesses are important to public health and safety in our communities.”
You can find the full press release here: TABC Alcohol Direct Shipping Press Release
Last modified: January 14, 2020
