Chinese police destroy 7,488 bottles of fake Moutai liquor

GUIYANG - Police in Guizhou province have destroyed 7,488 bottles of fake Moutai, a famous Chinese liquor brand, local authorities said Wednesday.

The liquor had a total net weight of 3.7 tonnes, according to the public security bureau of Tongzi County.

Police seized an amount of fake Moutai in a local township in March 2016. Over the following year, they raided several fake Moutai workshops in cities and provinces such Beijing, Chongqing, Zhejiang, Hunan and Guizhou's Guiyang and Renhuai, seizing a total of 7,488 bottles of fake Moutai.

Moutai is a sorghum-based spirit produced by Kweichow Moutai Co. Ltd. and is China's top brand of baijiu (white alcohol). The liquor, often served on official occasions and at state banquets, is considered a luxury item that has long been a popular gift.

Kweichow Moutai has raised the retail price of a 500 ml bottle of 53-degree Feitian Moutai, its flagship product, to 1,499 yuan (231 US dollars) this year from 1,299 yuan last year.

Due to short supply, some retailers charge even higher prices, prompting some to produce counterfeit Moutai for hefty illegal profits.