South Carolina: Illegal liquor operation discovered, destroyed near Holly Hill

Illegal liquor operation discovered, destroyed near Holly Hill 

A sheriff and his deputies armed themselves with axes and a shotgun to destroy a liquor still in a forest in the eastern portion of Orangeburg County. 

Source: https://www.live5news.com/

By Ray Rivera 

October 28, 2019 

A sheriff and his deputies armed themselves with axes and a shotgun to destroy a liquor still in a forest in the eastern portion of Orangeburg County.

“If people up and down the east coast could see how this stuff is made, they’d reconsider their orders,” Sheriff Leroy Ravenell said. “As it is there will be some empty glasses pretty soon.”

Ravenell said investigators developed information leading to a large and active still located a few miles east of Holly Hill in a remote and deeply wooded area.

A report states that OCSO narcotics and the sheriff loaded up axes and a shotgun to destroy the liquor maker.

“When investigators arrived at the site around 1 p.m. they raised the makeshift covers on the more than twelve 55-gallon barrels,” OCSO officials said. “The liquor inside was actively fermenting.”

Deputies stated in a press release that with the sheriff in lead, investigators grabbed a weapon of choice and began rendering the barrels useless by slicing holes into them.

Some were simply shot with a 12-guage shotgun.

“As the nearly-ready hooch ran downhill, a wharf rat ran out of the large setup, perhaps in an effort to locate a quieter neighborhood,” OCSO officials said.

The incident report stated at least four barrels of mash – a starter for the liquor – were also destroyed along with tools and a generator that fed the operation.

“In all, an estimated $6,000 worth of illegal liquor won’t make it to the streets,” the sheriff’s office said.

No arrests have been made at this point.

The case remains under investigation with Lt. James Shumpert leading that ongoing investigation.