LANSING, Mich. (WXYZ) — One in four bottles of alcohol shipped into Michigan during the end of 2018 was shipped illegally, according to data by the Michigan Beer & Wine Wholesalers Association.
Their research found that during October to December 2018, approximately 528, 310 bottles of alcohol were shipped into the state, and of those bottles, 185,408 were spirits or illegally shipped wine.
Over the three month stretch, the association "estimated that 60 to 70 percent of alcohol purchased online is wine, which means nearly 130,000 bottles of wine were illegally shipped in Michigan."
“Wine illegally shipped into Michigan by out-of-state retailers robs our state of much-needed tax revenue at a time when Michigan needs every penny it can get,” said Spencer Nevins, president of the Michigan Beer & Wine Wholesalers Association. “Illegal wine shipments also take money away from mom-and-pop retailers who invest in their communities and are proud to call Michigan home.”
“We urge the Michigan Liquor Control Commission to continue tracking these bad actors and for the state to crack down on out-of-state retailers who illegally ship wine into our state.”
The association used data from reports compiled by the Michigan Liquor Control Commission.
