Moonshine Runners Busted In Reykjavík

Two Icelandic men have proven that brewing moonshine is not necessarily a rural activity.

RÚV reports that capital area police arrested two men yesterday for brewing Icelandic moonshine, known to the locals as landi. Police also found between 300 and 400 litres of pre-batch, along with brewing equipment and dozens of litres of the finished product. Both men were questioned and released on their own recognizance, pending criminal prosecution.

Brewing beer and wine is legal in Iceland, but brewing moonshine is not. Police do conducts raids of moonshine stills, usually seizing small scale quantities, although far larger quantities have been seized as well.

Like many substances of vice, moonshine being illegal does not mean its use is limited. Moonshine is actually quite popular, with younger people especially, who might lack ready access to legal alcohol due to being underage. Others still swear by Icelandic moonshine as a mixer in their adult years.

For more on the pros and cons of drinking homemade liquor, see The Moonshine Salesgirl Next Door.