Chinese customs to auction RMB 5.3m confiscated wines and spirits online

Tianjin Customs is auctioning off more than RMB 5.3 million (US$783,000) worth of confiscated wines and spirits online through JD.com, China’s biggest online retail platform, including popular brands from DBR Lafite’s Légende and Saga as well as Moët & Chandon.

Photos published on Tianjin Customs’ auction page on JD.com showed confiscated bottles of DBR Lafite’s Légende and Saga

According to information published on the auction page, the number of confiscated bottles is close to 700,000.

They are divided into two main lots, with one lot consisting of all wines such as 372 bottles of Lafite Légende, 176 bottles of Lafite Saga – two of mainland China’s most popular imported wine brands – 2,298 bottles of ‘Krakus’ from Poland, 2,064 bottles of wines from ‘Reeds Estate’ in New Zealand and 14,964 bottles of ‘Don Jon’ wines from France.

The starting bid for the lot is RMB 200,000 (US$29,564), according to the customs.

The other lot, dominated by spirits included popular brands such as Jack Daniels, Bowmore, Macallan, Laphroaig, Jagermeister and Glenfarclas 179th anniversary in addition to Treasury Wine Estates’ Rawson’s Retreat, and LVMH’s Moët & Chandon and Italy’s Montesissa.

The bidding price for the second haul starts at RMB 5.35 million.

It has become a common practice for Chinese customs to auction off confiscated goods online through platforms such as JD.com and Tmall.com.

The customs however did not disclose the source of the bottles or when they were confiscated or provide details about their storage conditions.