Around 7:30 pm on November 9, an officer’s attention was caught by a driver changing lanes on I-495 in a manner that he felt was improper. When it was reportedly noticed that the vehicle’s inspection tags had not been properly renewed since June 2017 he decided to pull him over.
After he approached the Chevy Suburban, the trooper reported that he saw cases of alcohol stacked on the floor of the passenger side which nearly reached the roof of the SUV. The cases allegedly held many bottles, an estimated $36,000 worth, of different spirits such as Jameson, Jack Daniels, and Ketel One.
The trooper identified the driver as 36-year-old Jia Chen with a listed address in Flushing, New York.
The authorities inspected the vehicle, and they have posited that the foundation of the floor had been modified in a way that would support carrying a heavy load. This discovery led them to believe that Chen may have been trying to buy alcohol in Massachusetts without paying tax, and then bringing it to another state for resale.
It was reported that the law in Massachusetts, which limits the amount of alcohol being transported to three-gallons, is not widely known but has been in existence for quite a while to try to curtail such activities.
Chen was taken into custody for suspicion of unlawful transport of liquor, in addition to traffic charges for the violations. He was released on a $240 bail, and the cases of alcohol were confiscated by the authorities.
If you or someone you love is suspected of a crime, contact Orange County criminal defense lawyer Staycie R. Sena at (949) 477-8088 for a consultation now.