An explosion and fire in the North Carolina mountains led investigators to a 200-gallon illegal moonshine distillery packed with thousands of gallons of alcohol-making materials.
The explosion happened Monday in Wilkes County near North Wilkesboro. State Alcohol Law Enforcement agents responded after local authorities discovered an active non-taxpaid liquor operation.
Inside, investigators seized approximately 1,800 gallons of mash used to produce liquor. They also confiscated 161 gallons of finished moonshine.
Photos released by state officials show a heavily charred metal building with damaged distilling equipment inside.
Authorities arrested 69-year-old Billy Ray Anderson of North Wilkesboro following the investigation.
He faces charges including:
- Manufacturing non-taxpaid alcoholic beverages
- Possessing non-taxpaid alcohol for sale
- Possessing non-taxpaid alcohol
- Possessing illegal distillery equipment
- Possessing distillery ingredients
- Allowing property to be used for illegal alcohol production
North Carolina has a long history with moonshine, particularly across its mountain communities. Bootlegging also became closely tied to the early roots of stock-car racing and NASCAR.
State investigators have not said how long the Wilkes County operation had been running or how much moonshine it produced before the explosion.
