Two sentenced for making, selling fake Moutai

GUIYANG -- Two people have been sentenced and fined in Southwest China's Guizhou province for making and selling fake versions of Moutai, a famous Chinese liquor brand.

The defendants, surnamed Zhang and Yang, were sentenced to three and a half years, and three years, respectively, with a three-year reprieve, according to Guizhou Provincial People's Procuratorate. They were also fined 30,000 yuan ($4,400) and 10,000 yuan, respectively.

Before undertaking their illegal activities, the two were struggling to make a profit selling genuine liquor. In December 2016, Yang received an order from the southern China city of Guangzhou for 10 bottles of "fake Moutai." Yang purchased the 10 bottles from Zhang at a price of 850 yuan per bottle.

Zhang made the fake products by filling bottles with cheaper quality liquor and then adding fake logos and packaging bought online so that they closely resembled genuine Moutai.

The two made another order of 20 bottles of fake Moutai and were caught in Guizhou while transporting that order to Guangzhou. Police found another 78 bottles of fake Moutai and packaging materials in Zhang's rented house.

Moutai is a sorghum-based spirit produced by Kweichow Moutai Co Ltd and is China's top brand of baijiu, or "white alcohol." The liquor is considered a luxury item that has long been popular as a gift. One bottle of Moutai can sell for more than 1,000 yuan.