Customs and excise officers in Hong Kong have smashed an illegal Chinese wine syndicate. Thousands of bottles of the wine, worth HK$200,000, were seized from stores and plants across the territory late last week. It is the biggest haul of its kind in a decade.
Initial tests from the government chemist showed that the Tsui King Yuk brand wine is safe to drink - even though some bottles contained cockroaches - but its exact alcohol content is unknown, a customs official said.
Illicit wine making avoids the need for a liquor licence and the payment of duties. The 6,000 litres of wine seized has a duty potential of HK$80,000.
Five Hong Kong men aged between 29 and 72 were arrested and later freed on bail.
Sectors: Wine
