It was recently discovered that an Alabama sewage treatment plant does more than just purify water.
On Thursday, police discovered an illegal winery at the Rainsville Waste Water Treatment Plant in Rainsville, Alabama.
The DeKalb County Sheriff’s Office said in a statement that it received an anonymous tip about “a possible illegal alcohol operation” in a municipal building.
Officers contacted the Mayor of Rainsville, Roger Lingerfelt, who allowed them to search the water treatment plant, which is owned and operated by the city.
During Thursday’s search, agents from the sheriff’s office, the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency and the State Bureau of Investigation found the unauthorized winery.
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On Friday, Lingerfelt announced that a plant supervisor has been suspended unpaid while police continue the investigation, AL.com reports.
According to the paper, the unnamed supervisor worked at the Rainsville Waste Water Treatment Plant for 15 years.
DeKalb County Sheriff’s Office on Thursday seized wine illegally produced at the Rainsville Waste Water Treatment Plant in Rainsville, Alabama. (The DeKalb County Sheriff’s Office via AP)
The winery “appeared to have been in operation for a long time,” the sheriff’s statement said on Thursday.
Police photos show glass containers, buckets, a fermentation rack, and other equipment commonly used by people making wine at home.
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The photos also show multiple fermentation vats filled with what appears to be over 100 liters of white and red liquid.
The illegal winery “appeared to be in operation for a long time,” officials said in a statement. (The DeKalb County Sheriff’s Office via AP)
While it is legal in Alabama to make some wine at home, it is illegal to have more than 15 gallons of homemade wine or beer at a time.
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According to the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Office, the investigation is underway and arrests are expected.
After police discovered the illegal winery, a factory supervisor was suspended without payment while police investigated. (The DeKalb County Sheriff’s Office via AP)
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“I would like to thank the mayor for his cooperation and willingness to let law enforcement officers do our job and shut down such a thing,” Sheriff Nick Welden said in a statement. “This is definitely one of the biggest operations we’ve seen in our county and possibly our state. Many thanks to the public and their tips against ALL illegal activity.”
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Again, it doesn’t matter who you are, no one is above the law, Welden added. “We will not tolerate anyone using his position to hide his illegal actions at the expense of the taxpayer.”
Rainsville is located approximately 100 miles north of Birmingham and has a population of approximately 5100.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.