Aussiedistiller, Home Distilling, Moonshine, Home Brew

I needed to purchase some replacement parts for my essential oils pot still. Local prices are quite ridiculous so, of course I shopped on-line. Parts arrived and two days later I got a letter from The WA Police saying they would be around to confiscate my "glassware" in the near future. They also invited me to 'phone them to set a time.

So I phoned them. It seems if I had shopped in Australia the provider would have asked me to fill in a form detailing my reason for wanting the parts. This would then have gone to the WA Police for approval. But because I shopped on line no form was submitted.

So they scanned my consignment on its way into Australia and decided that I had imported some very "suspect" hardware.

I called the 'phone number in the letter and was quickly reassured that because I am not "known" to Police all would be well if I fill in the the forms retrospectively. They did however say that if I had been "known" there would not have been a letter, just a 3:00am raid.

Problem solved and another lesson learned. I am 100% onside. Good job.

Lol. :laughing-rolling:

Gotta keep an eye on you master criminal types buying stuff online. :handgestures-thumbupleft:

Rumbled ... I should be out by the time I am 105

Arismac wrote:Rumbled ... I should be out by the time I am 105

Only 6yrs away :teasing-tease:

Isn't this exactly what I said the problem was in the other thread about buying glass lab stills online?

And what are you going to tell them you are using it for on the form? Unless you have a real legitimate reason why wouldn't they come have a look? And if they are going to make the effort to come and have a look they are going to be thorough.

People may laugh if they want about this shit but I don't think it's very funny.

Geez mate... id be sweating if i got a letter like that in the mail.
Im sure there would be pleanty of blue uniforms that wouldn't worry about your setup at home, but if you happen to get one turn up that was having a bad day.... :violence-smack:
Things could get very serious very fast.

I had bought mine before I saw any of this trouble with glass stills and did expect a call from the locals but mu package arrived and nothing no letter no visit nothing just like ol' Shutlz would say .....

I've bought a couple of 1 L glass measuring cylinders online. The second one I bought cause the first was on the kitchen bench and something else fell over and knocked it to the floor. Smash.

Received the second one last week, got smashed even before I could use it :angry-banghead:

Do I try to and get another one? If I did I'd keep it in the shed. Does anyone reckon a glass measuring cylinder would set off alarm bells?

Couldn't you order them via your job ?
It's kind of like a tool of trade isn't it ?

Normal measuring glassware is well different to a glass distillation apparatus that is commonly used in much more illegal activity than home alcohol distillation.....

weird they warned. have seen doors kicked in for way less. you may want to move your other stills from yor house till this passes. far from funny i think :handgestures-thumbdown:

The Stig wrote:Couldn't you order them via your job ?
It's kind of like a tool of trade isn't it ?

Bit of a tricky one. Lots of rules around purchasing and then there's the auditing. I guess if a labbie ordered it and then wrote it off as broken I could get away with it. But there'd be no way I could pay for it and equally no way anyone would want to risk their job of buying it with department money just for me.

I need to come up with a legitimate reason for buying one online.

Sam. wrote:Normal measuring glassware is well different to a glass distillation apparatus that is commonly used in much more illegal activity than home alcohol distillation.....

But if I'd bought three, maybe someone would start wondering.

I could say I like to make up my cordial VERY accurately. 8-}

A friend of mine got raided after buying some glassware over the internet. They were nice and didn't smash the door in or arrive at 3 am.
They arrived at dinner time and found him in the middle of a batch of lavender oil...
After a good look around and satisfied he wasn't up to anything nefarious the officers said that 1L flat bottom flasks would have not attracted attention but as it was larger they wanted to be sure of its use.
They all shook hands and left. Like aristocratic suggested if you're on a watchlist I'm sure they take a different approach.

A little off topic but why not a stainless boiler for oils? Surely it does much the same job :think:

Sam. wrote:And what are you going to tell them you are using it for on the form? Unless you have a real legitimate reason why wouldn't they come have a look?.

As I have previously said, I produce essential oils and have been doing so for some years. Some are used as flavours, some sold direct and some used in cosmetics. The police have been aware of my ownership of the still for a long time.

It is just that this time I chose to buy replacement parts on-line so saving a fist full of money. So Border Force scanned and identified "suspect glassware". One 'phone call, all sorted ...

Arismac wrote:

Sam. wrote:And what are you going to tell them you are using it for on the form? Unless you have a real legitimate reason why wouldn't they come have a look?.

As I have previously said, I produce essential oils and have been doing so for some years. Some are used as flavours, some sold direct and some used in cosmetics. The police have been aware of my ownership of the still for a long time.

It is just that this time I chose to buy replacement parts on-line so saving a fist full of money. So Border Force scanned and identified "suspect glassware". One 'phone call, all sorted ...

This is my exact point, how many others on the forum do you think have legitimate reason to own one?

I’m trying to tell people to be careful and not be reckless as when they do come have a look at your online purchase they will start asking about that bigger still and the product that it produces.

Your attitude seems to be that because of your age you have nothing to lose but I don’t think many others here would share your view.

If you want to talk more about this subject please PM me as I am done with this topic on the open forum.

Sam. wrote:Your attitude seems to be that because of your age you have nothing to lose but I don’t think many others here would share your view.

Rude, inaccurate and completely uncalled for. END

Arismac wrote:

Sam. wrote:Your attitude seems to be that because of your age you have nothing to lose but I don’t think many others here would share your view.

Rude, inaccurate and completely uncalled for. END

Well to be totally honest a lot of your comments can be put in the same boat. Your disrespect of the senior members on here and their advice is terrible at times. We are all trying to help you here mate but you for some reason take everything we say as offensive. I question why your here? You ask questions that you seem to already have the answers too, you don't take any advice given and get grumpy when we try to make you aware of issues that could end badly for you?

I suggest you calm down a bit and take advice that's given as help not attack.

db for any glass i would stick to what you can buy from home brew shops..