The Key West citizen. [volume] (Key West, Fla.) 1879-current, 1926-07-14
MUCH LIQUOR
DESTROYED AT
CUSTOM HOUSE
Booze WAS CAPTURED HERE
SOMETIME AGO IN RAID
MADE; NO ARRESTS IN
CASE

The lot of liquor seized by the
customs inspectors in a Buick
automobile some time ago, con,
sisting of 156 quarts and several
fiye-gallon demijohns, was de-
stroyed by customs inspectors un-
der the supervision of L. T.
Bragassa, Inspector in charge, at
the custom house this forenoon.
The total amount poured out was
about sixty gallons. Since no ar
rest was made in connection with
the seizure, and consequently
there could be no trial, the amount
was ordered destroyed.
But this was not drop in the
ocean in comparison with the vast
quantity of liquors Of all kinds
now stored in the vaults of the
customs service awaiting destruc-
ton.
People walking in the postof-
flee and the other offices on the
same floor have no idea that un-
der their feet is stored more than
q half million dollars worth of
intoxicating liquors that have been
seized from time to time by Off
GERS entrusted with the duty of en-
forcing the prohibition laws.
The storage vaults Of the Gus
toms service here is sight to be-
hold. Every known variety of
finest and most daintily put up
liquors are seen smiling from the
many shelves, and on the floor in
enormous heaps are hundreds and
hundreds Of demiiohns in various
sizes, with the five-gallon size pre-
dominating, then there Is almost
oceans of the cheaper grades Of
liquors, wines and beers on the
base shelves and stacked on the
concrete floor. Forty 50-gallon
barrels have been there about
four years.
And whiskey is not all that's
stored there. There are various
articles Of merchandise that have
been taken from people trying to
smuggle them into this country,
Thousands of cigars and cigarettes,
narcotics and drugs are stored
there also fine lace and embroidery
and fine iewelry taken from snug
elers and will be sold by the Gus
toms service at the proper time.
It is q wonderful experience to
pass through this vast storage
room Of Struggled goods and mar.
vel at the tremendous proportions
the smuggling game has attained
in these United States.
The vaults at the custom house
are entirely too small to take
care Of the immense quantities Of
booze that now falls to the Gus.
tolys0f the customs inspectors and
other kinds of Struggled merchan
disc that must be safeguarded BIZ
them. Inspector Bragassa hopes
70 have more space provided foi
this purpose some day.
The vaults are securely bull
and are protected by steel com
bipation lock doors. Only ons
man knows the combinations to
vault doors. and he Is held per,
sonally responsible for the con
tents Of this burglar proof storage
place for struggled goods. In this
wy there is never any loss Of
leakage to be accounted for, and
the stock is kept straight and in
order.
This morning there was nc
audience TO witness the destruc,
tion Of the booze poured out. A
number of people have been heard
10 remark upon the absence 81
hangers-on when the customs of.
ficiaIs destroy booze.
Yes. people walking into the
Key West postoffice are almost
treading on booze worth more
than a half million dollars--but il
is another case Of so near, yet g
far.