Prohibition came into force at 12:00:01 am on January 17, 1920, and the first documented infringement of the Volstead Act occurred in Chicago on January 17 at 12:59 am. According to police reports, six armed men stole $100,000 worth of "medicinal" whiskey from two freight-train cars. This trend in bootlegging liquor created a domino effect among criminals across the United States. Some gang leaders had been stashing liquor months before the Volstead Act was enforced. The ability to sustain a lucrative business in bootlegging liquor was largely helped by the minimal police surveillance at the time. There were only 134 agents designated by the Prohibition Unit to cover all of Illinois, Iowa, and parts of Wisconsin.Kobler, John. Capone: The Life and World of Al Capone. Da Capo Press, 2003, p. 68. According to Charles C. Fitzmorris, Chicago's chief of police during the beginning of the Prohibition period, "Sixty percent of my police [were] in the bootleg business."Kobler, John. Capone: The Life and World of Al Capone. Da Capo Press, 2003, p. 69.
Prohibition came into force at 120001 am on January 17 1920 and the first documented infringement of the Volstead Act occurred in Chicago on January 17 at 1259 am According to police reports six armed men stole $100000 worth of "medicinal" whiskey from two freight-train cars This trend in bootlegging liquor created a domino effect among criminals across the United States Some gang leaders had been stashing liquor months before the Volstead Act was enforced The ability to sustain a lucrative business in bootlegging liquor was largely helped by the minimal police surveillance at the time There were only 134 agents designated by the Prohibition Unit to cover all of Illinois Iowa and parts of WisconsinKobler John Capone The Life and World of Al Capone Da Capo Press 2003 p 68 According to Charles C Fitzmorris Chicago's chief of police during the beginning of the Prohibition period "Sixty percent of my police [were] in the bootleg business"Kobler John Capone The Life and World of Al Capone Da Capo Press 2003 p 69