Criminal law? Yes, many (most?) statutory laws and regulations are criminal, in that they are malum prohibitum rather than actual sources of seeking and delivering justice.
Necessary evil? A term filled with rationalization.
The fact that regulation is prevalent, isn't the same thing as saying it's necessary. In most instances regulation is used as a form of protectionism to the benefit of legally favored people and the detriment of others, those who suffer under the loss burden of what might have been due to some government erected barrier or another.
A free market tends to be regulated by consumer freedom of choice, rather than arbitrary self serving interventions from a coercive third party, ie Government. The fact that there are very few real free markets doesn't evidence that they are inefficient or wrong, it really only points out that they are DISALLOWED, by government, which is a different thing than inefficient or whether they are morally sound or just.
Anyway, not trying to harsh on your commentary or thoughts. I just don't think many people understand what a real free market is or isn't and they often erroneously default to the idea that government omnipresence and a free market can exist in the same circumstance. They can't, since they are concepts with opposing meanings.
Plant limits, sales restrictions, etc. by government are an example of an "anti free market" , not examples of a free market.
The fact that you have a choice to purchase alcohol from a number of suppliers within a structured regulated, taxed and legislatively protected market. is a sort of false dichotomy and doesn't mean we should call it a free market thing.