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Hong Kong customs seize 2,000 bottles of smuggled wine

11 October 2023 By Eloise Feilden

Hong Kong customs officials have intercepted 2,000 bottles of wine in a major crackdown on an estimated HK$100 million (£10.4m) of smuggled goods.

bottles from Italy’s Zenato and Tenuta San Guido are among the haul of bottles intercepted by customs officials in Hong Kong, according to images released by authorities. Three Bourgogne wines were also identified among the haul — Domaine Gros Frère et Soeur Hautes Cotes de Nuits, Geantet-Pansiot Gevrey-Chambertin Village “En Champs”, and Claude Dugat Gevrey-Chambertin La Gibryotte — as reported by Vino Joy.

Criminals are suspected to have been operating ocean-going and river trade vessels for smuggling.

Officials are said to have discovered the 2,000 bottles following an inspection of three vessels bound for Malaysia, one for Shanghai, and two river trade vessels heading to Nansha and Macao.

Three men aged between 40 and 54 were arrested in connection with the smuggling cases and have been released on bail. Further arrests have not been ruled out, Vino Joy has said.

In December 2022 the Kong Kong authorities seized 9,000 bottles of wine set to be smuggled into mainland China in a raid of goods worth HK$200 million (£20.8 million).

These included thousands of bottles of Penfolds, some Champagne Moet and Japanese sake Dassai.

Smuggling is a grave offence in Hong Kong. Under the Import and Export Ordinance, those found guilty of smuggling unmanifested cargo can face a fine of HK$2 million and seven years of imprisonment.

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