Moonshine still found in Florala

By Stephanie Nelson
Andalusia Star-News, AL
07/08/06

Three Florala men were arrested after officials found a homemade moonshine still on their property on Booker Road.

Lt. Lance Price of the Alabama Beverage Control Board said ABC Board agents, as well as those with the 22nd Circuit Judicial Drug Task Force, the Andalusia and Opp Incident Response Teams, the Andalusia Police Department and the Covington County and Coffee County Sheriff's Offices, originally went to the property to execute a search warrant for methamphetamines.

What they found was something different.

"We found a small moonshine still," Price said. "It was homemade. They had used a 5-quart pressure cooker with cooper tubing and were using a stovetop as a heat source.

"We found only found a small amount of moonshine on the premises, probably 300-375 milliliters, as well as drugs and smoking devices."

Agents arrested 48-year-old Mickey Burlison on charges of possession of a controlled substance, possession of drub paraphernalia, possession of a distribution device (still), possession of an untaxed beverage and possession of marijuana in the second degree. His total bond for the charges was set at $36,000.

Also arrested were 22-year-old Adam Burlison and 34-year-old Stance Burlison on charges of possession of a controlled substance and possession of drug paraphernalia. Each had a total bond set of $13,000.

"Every law enforcement agency is committed to fighting the war on illicit drugs, whether it's drug or alcohol," Price said. "With the cooperation of each of the departments involved, these arrest could not have been made."