TTB and the California ABC Joint Investigation in Napa/Sonoma Counties

The Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) conducted a joint operation with Agents from the California Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control into alleged prohibited trade practices in Napa and Sonoma Counties. This is the third time TTB and state authorities have worked together on a large-scale investigation into prohibited trade practices since July 2017.  The prior two were in Florida and Illinois.

The focus of this TTB investigation is on consignment sales arrangements, which, like other unlawful trade practices, are used to gain an unfair advantage over law-abiding industry members and ultimately limit consumer choice.

According to their press release, “TTB remains committed to securing a level playing field nationwide for law-abiding businesses and appreciates this opportunity to work together with our law enforcement partners in California to ensure that existing industry members and smaller businesses just entering the marketplace can compete fairly based on customer service and consumer preference.”

You can read the press release here.