A man from South Texas was apprehended by agents from the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission (TABC) for his involvement in the theft of high-quality distilled spirits being transported within the state.
Stolen alcohol shipments
Matthew Tafolla, 37, found himself in trouble when TABC agents in Donna arrested him on January 24. The charge against him is a second-degree felony for theft of cargo. As of now, Tafolla is being held in the Hildalgo County Jail.
In July 2024, TABC agents received a notification regarding a shipment of spirits that had gone missing during transit.
In late 2024, TABC, along with partnering law enforcement agencies such as the Travis County Sheriff’s Office, the Texas Department of Public Safety, and the Federal Bureau of Investigations, successfully recovered the missing inventory in Dallas. This achievement was a result of a joint investigation.
After a thorough investigation, law enforcement authorities were able to identify a suspect, which ultimately led to the arrest of Tafolla on Friday.
TABC discovered and apprehended Tafolla as a result of an extensive investigation into a series of alcohol cargo thefts that have been taking place throughout Texas.
There is still a lot that remains unknown: The authorities have not revealed the quantity of alcohol that was stolen.
No other arrests have been announced in connection with this cargo theft.
The specific brand of the liquor has not been disclosed.
What people are saying: “Theft of alcohol inventory not only hurts the affected business, It also hurts the people of Texas who are put at risk by the unregulated sales of these products on the black market,” TABC Chairman Kevin J. Lilly said. “This week’s arrest is a major step forward in this ongoing case, and TABC will continue working tirelessly on this investigation until the involved parties are held accountable.”