Large-scale moonshine operation busted

A Taranaki man has been busted with 500 litres of moonshine in his basement after a tip-off led police to the "large-scale" operation.

The 44-year-old beneficiary was arrested after an undercover officer bought alcohol from him at his Carrington St, New Plymouth, home on Saturday night, the Taranaki Daily News reported.

When police moved in, they found about 500 litres of alcohol, a still and other brewing gear, as well as a large amount of cannabis and a small quantity of methamphetamine.

It is legal to brew your own alcohol but it is illegal to sell it without a licence.

"From what we recovered it was an extremely large operation," Senior Sergeant Robbie O'Keefe said.

They did not know how long the man had been selling his home-made moonshine but were vowing to get tough on anyone caught.

"Since the advent of stills becoming legal there has been an increase of unlawful sales," Mr O'Keefe said.

Last week, 80-year-old Edwin Wilson appeared in Hastings District Court facing seven counts of selling liquor without a licence.

The Taranaki man has been charged with unlicensed selling of alcohol, possession of cannabis, possession of methamphetamine and possession of cannabis utensils and will appear in New Plymouth District Court on Thursday.

- NZPA