Eight persons have been charged in relation to operating an unregulated liquor bottling plant in St. Catherine.

They were arrested during a predawn operation, by a joint police / military team in Old Harbour, on Monday.

Charged are, 45-year-old vendor Richard Gregory Senior, otherwise called ‘Boswell’, of Old Harbour road; his son 19-year-old Richard Gregory Junior of John’s Road; 50-year-old carpenter Allando Gregory, otherwise called ‘Dulass’, of Gregory Park, Portmore; 30-year-old Sadeki Gregory, otherwise called ‘Salo’, of Old Harbour road; 24-year-old, shopkeeper Oshin Gregory, otherwise called ‘Lisa’, of Dempshire Pen; 21-year-old Amoy Palmer, otherwise called ‘Abbie’, of Gordon Pen, all in St. Catherine, as well as 20-year-old Brandon Gregory, otherwise called ‘Popo’; and 22-year-old Jordan Gregory, otherwise called ‘Sham’, both of Richmond, St. Mary.

All 8 have been charged with breaches of the Copyright Act, the Excise Duty Act and the Spirit Control Act.

They are scheduled to appear before the Kingston and St. Andrew parish court on Tuesday March 29.

Reports are that on February 7, a team of police and military personnel entered a premises where they uncovered an illegal bottling operation for counterfeit liquor.

The team discovered hundreds of bottles, labels of popular local liquor brands, a bottling machine and several cases of raw material. 

The officers also seized approximately $218,000 in cash.

The 8 suspects were held during the operation.

The police are warning citizens to take the necessary precautions and examine the labels of packages when making purchases and use licensed retailers / wholesalers.