(a) It is the duty of all sheriffs and deputy sheriffs of the different counties of the state and the police officers of each incorporated city and town to search for, seize and capture all illicit distilleries, stills and worms, distilling and fermenting equipment and apparatus and other paraphernalia connected therewith, or used or to be used in the illicit manufacture of intoxicating liquors; raw materials and substances connected with or to be used in the illicit manufacture of intoxicating liquors; and containers connected with or used in the packaging of illicitly manufactured intoxicating liquors.

Terms Used In Tennessee Code 57-9-101

  • beverage: means and includes alcohol, spirits, liquor, wine, high alcohol content beer, and every liquid containing alcohol, spirits, wine, and high alcohol content beer and capable of being consumed by a human being, other than patent medicine or beer, as defined in §. See Tennessee Code 57-3-101
  • Commission: means the alcoholic beverage commission, except as otherwise provided. See Tennessee Code 57-3-101
  • Manufacture: means and includes brewing high alcohol content beer, distilling, rectifying and operating a winery. See Tennessee Code 57-3-101
  • Property: includes both personal and real property. See Tennessee Code 1-3-105
  • signed: includes a mark, the name being written near the mark and witnessed, or any other symbol or methodology executed or adopted by a party with intention to authenticate a writing or record, regardless of being witnessed. See Tennessee Code 1-3-105
  • State: when applied to the different parts of the United States, includes the District of Columbia and the several territories of the United States. See Tennessee Code 1-3-105
  • written: includes printing, typewriting, engraving, lithography, and any other mode of representing words and letters. See Tennessee Code 1-3-105
(b) It is the duty of such officer or officers to destroy any and all whiskey, beer, or other intoxicants found at or near such distilleries or stills except with respect to intoxicating liquors upon which federal tax has been paid as provided in § 57-9-115.
(c) It is the duty of such officer or officers capturing such distilleries, stills, distilling and fermenting equipment and apparatus and other paraphernalia, to summarily destroy and render useless such property. Any intoxicants or other articles of personal property destroyed under authority of this section shall be destroyed in the presence of at least two (2) credible witnesses. Within five (5) days after such destruction, the officer destroying such intoxicants or other articles shall file a written statement, listing all items destroyed, signed by the officer destroying and the witness or witnesses thereto, with the circuit or criminal court clerk of the county where seized and, in addition, shall file a copy thereof with the alcoholic beverage commission.
(d) The reference to sheriffs and deputy sheriffs in this section shall also include constables in counties of this state having a population of:

not less than

nor more than

3,700

4,700

6,000

7,800

8,400

8,500

8,535

8,540

9,200

9,570

10,770

10,780

11,512

11,550

11,700

11,900

12,000

13,000

14,500

14,600

15,300

15,500

15,750

16,000

17,000

17,350

18,000

18,200

18,300

18,900

19,000

19,100

21,000

21,500

21,600

22,300

23,200

23,350

23,355

23,391

23,391

23,450

23,500

23,750

24,000

24,255

25,600

27,500

27,900

28,000

28,555

28,600

29,250

31,250

31,260

33,000

33,700

34,000

35,480

41,800

41,900

50,000

57,550

59,400

59,500

60,050

60,600

62,000

64,000

65,000

101,000

118,400

118,700

200,000

according to the 1960 federal census or any subsequent federal census, and Fentress County and Hamblen County.

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