Tennessee Could Raise Million$ with Gov's Bid-for-Booze Plan
Thursday, March 13, 2008
Value of confiscated liquor based on more than just the contents of bottles
Governor Phil Bredesen's proposal to allow the sale of confiscated items like booze and cars in online auctions has begun advancing in the Tennessee legislature. If passed, the measure could eventually include hundreds of bottles of Jack Daniel's whiskey seized last year in raids in Nashville and Lynchburg, the town where the whiskey is distilled, The Tennessean reported Tuesday.
As we noted last week in a short post ("Bones, Thugs & Frequencies: More Interesting Stuff"), sites like PropertyRoom.com are proving to be valuable outlets through which law enforcement agencies are liquidating unclaimed property.
So why shouldn't governments use online auctions to unload seized liquor?
Though the newspaper reported that such sales would be limited to licensed retailers in Tennessee, several online responses to the story pointed to the hypocrasy some saw in such a plan in a state with some very tight liquor-control laws.
"OK, let me get this straight - it's OK for the police to confiscate liquor (no money involved) sell it to dealers, then they can sell it to us. But I can't get a lousy bottle of wine at Kroger?" was one post on the subject.
Of interest to collectors ought to be the fact that the estimated $1-million value of the confiscated booze is based in part on the value of the antique bottles.
Though not associated with this story in any way, the Booze Belt (pictured) is among the reasons we're glad these auctions will be online ONLY.
Governor Phil Bredesen's proposal to allow the sale of confiscated items like booze and cars in online auctions has begun advancing in the Tennessee legislature. If passed, the measure could eventually include hundreds of bottles of Jack Daniel's whiskey seized last year in raids in Nashville and Lynchburg, the town where the whiskey is distilled, The Tennessean reported Tuesday.
As we noted last week in a short post ("Bones, Thugs & Frequencies: More Interesting Stuff"), sites like PropertyRoom.com are proving to be valuable outlets through which law enforcement agencies are liquidating unclaimed property.
So why shouldn't governments use online auctions to unload seized liquor?
Though the newspaper reported that such sales would be limited to licensed retailers in Tennessee, several online responses to the story pointed to the hypocrasy some saw in such a plan in a state with some very tight liquor-control laws.
"OK, let me get this straight - it's OK for the police to confiscate liquor (no money involved) sell it to dealers, then they can sell it to us. But I can't get a lousy bottle of wine at Kroger?" was one post on the subject.
Of interest to collectors ought to be the fact that the estimated $1-million value of the confiscated booze is based in part on the value of the antique bottles.
Though not associated with this story in any way, the Booze Belt (pictured) is among the reasons we're glad these auctions will be online ONLY.
posted by Chris and Frank at 9:05 PM
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