The Illinois Liquor Control Commission (ILCC) is meeting today to discuss next steps regarding illegal shipments of alcohol into the state from out-of-state retailers, according to the Chicago Sun-Times. This is follow-up from the December ILCC cease and desist letters sent to almost 1,000 liquor stores around the country. “The illegal direct shipment of alcohol into the state of Illinois is something that the Illinois Liquor Control Commission takes very seriously,” noted a statement from the ILCC quoted in the Sun-Times. “The cease and desist letters are a continuation of enforcement efforts by the Illinois Liquor Control Commission as we look to halt the shipment of alcoholic liquor from unlicensed sources into Illinois.”
The issue is not only direct shipments to consumers, but also Illinois liquor stores receiving alcohol from out-of-state. According to the Sun-Times, one store maintained a “front door register” for normal retail business and a “back door register” for sales to Illinois liquor stores. The result: lost tax revenue for the state.