Were Mark and Digger Really Arrested on ‘Moonshiners’ for Distilling Liquor?

The legalities of the liquor produced on Discovery Channel's Moonshiners have been hotly debated online. Many have claimed that there really isn't any illegal activity being documented on the show. After all, it's tough to believe a major network would brazenly document and air such legal transgressions for numerous seasons, viewers argue.

However, Season 14's eighth episode of the show may have changed some people's minds, and Mark and Digger are shown being arrested.

Season 14 Episode 8 of the series, which aired on Jan. 14, 2025, shows Mark and Digger teaming up with Bruiser Martin, a distiller from Kentucky.

The partnership was formed as a way for the two to team up with Bruiser and bring their seven years of booze-making experience to more people.

Since bourbon was increasing in demand, they decided to go straight to the source: the Bluegrass State. Known for its history in crafting the amber-hued alcohol, its no surprise that Kentucky not only produces the world's most renowned bourbon spirits, but also the most.

95 percent of all the world's bourbon comes from Kentucky, and many would staunchly contend that even though it can be made anywhere, it's not really bourbon if it isn't from there.

Bruiser not only knows how to make bourbon, but he purportedly does it very well: He won a Master Distiller competition on the series, which is what prompted Mark and Digger to work with him.

Initially, the pair wanted to put Bruiser through his paces to see if he had what it takes to craft bourbon the way a moonshiner would. This entailed them asking the distiller to see if he could find a place that was secluded enough so as not to draw attention to these booze-making activities.

That's because Bruiser was used to crafting his wares in more traditional buildings and distillery setups. Next, they wanted to know if he could evaluate the correct types of ingredients and their proportions in crafting bourbon, such as including sugar.

Bruiser immediately passed that one, stating that utilizing sugar wasn't necessary, as authentic bourbon doesn't use it in its makeup.

His mash also garnered praise from Mark and Digger — Bruiser was able to attain a 120-proof alcohol bourbon.

Satisfying these assessments, Mark and Digger committed to working with Bruiser, which could be the start of a lucrative partnership between the three men.

However, teasers for new episodes at the end of Season 14 Episode 8 indicate that Mark and Digger could be in trouble with the law.

In the sneak peek, the pair mention that they're worried that their moonshine hauls might be seized and that they could lose a ton of money as a result. Subsequently, footage of the pair being carted toward a police vehicle while in handcuffs indicates that they could very well have been caught by Johnny Law.

The preview, however, doesn't indicate why Mark and Digger were arrested and if it was for their moonshine production. New episodes of Moonshiners air on Discovery on Tuesdays at 8 p.m. EST.