State Troopers have arrested six individuals accused of bringing illegal alcohol into Yukon Delta communities where alcohol restrictions apply. The arrests followed concerns of Village Public Safety Officers and residents in Emmonak and nearby villages like Alakanuk and Scammon Bay.
Authorities say alcohol was fueling an increase in assaults and other crimes across the region. Alaska State Trooper Lieutenant Nick Zito said the village leaders and officers launched a collaborative investigation after noticing rising alcohol-related incidents.
Troopers intercepted multiple large shipments of distilled spirits, each exceeding legal volume limits and lacking required invoices or labeling. Investigators discovered 150 bottles of alcohol, mostly cheap spirits valued at approximately $52,000, in local resale markets.
This significant profit margin drives bootlegging efforts even though possession and distribution remain illegal in many Yukon Delta communities. Local elders expressed gratitude, telling officers that the community already felt safer and more stable following the operation.
While some communities remain damp, others are dehydrated with laws established through local votes and enforced by state officers. Authorities say the arrests are only a part of a larger strategy to block illegal alcohol and protect vulnerable villages.
