Italian Police Uncover Illegal Distillery in Treviso

Italian financial police and agricultural inspectors said they uncovered an illegal distillery in the Treviso area that was producing alcohol for a winery, seizing equipment, spirits and a large quantity of white wine that exceeded the company’s recorded inventory.

The operation was carried out by the provincial command of the Guardia di Finanza in Treviso together with the ICQRF office for northeast Italy in Susegana, according to authorities. Investigators said they found a still and tanks used for production, along with 500 liters of grappa and 1,500 kilograms of grape pomace ready for distillation.

During the inspection, officers also seized 11,000 liters of white wine that they said was being held in excess of what appeared in the warehouse accounts. The authorities did not immediately identify the winery involved or say whether criminal charges had been filed.

The case adds to a broader pattern of enforcement in Italy’s wine sector, where tax police and food and agriculture inspectors regularly check for irregular production, undocumented stock and possible fraud tied to alcohol taxes and traceability rules. In this case, officials said the focus was on an unauthorized distillation operation linked to a winery in one of Veneto’s most important wine-producing areas.

The Guardia di Finanza said the seizure was part of routine controls aimed at protecting consumers, ensuring compliance with excise and agricultural regulations and preventing illicit alcohol from entering the market.