Police in central Taiwan have dismantled a large-scale counterfeit liquor operation in which recycled bottles of premium brands such as Hennessy, The Dalmore, and The Singleton were refilled with homemade alcohol and sold alongside genuine imports. The ring, led by a licensed liquor merchant, allegedly earned more than NT$20 million (about USD 620,000) over the past year by passing off fake whisky and brandy as authentic.
Taichung police said they arrested 23 suspects connected to the scheme, which involved blending raw spirits with additives and bottling the mixture in authentic glass containers purchased from recycling plants. The counterfeiters then affixed forged anti-counterfeit labels that were nearly indistinguishable from the originals and distributed the products through legitimate channels.
The investigation began earlier this year when police received a tip that a 27-year-old man surnamed Wang, though licensed, had been selling cases of well-known foreign liquors with counterfeit bottles mixed in. Authorities formed a special task force and conducted several months of surveillance.
Police said Wang recruited 57-year-old Lin, a blending technician, to formulate the counterfeit recipes. A third suspect, 41-year-old Chen, managed a clandestine factory in Taichung’s Waipu District, where raw alcohol was combined with food-grade ethanol, caramel coloring, spices, and other additives to replicate the taste and appearance of popular imported spirits.
To increase credibility, the suspects used real corks and bottles and applied counterfeit anti-tampering labels allegedly custom-made by a supplier in mainland China. The fakes were then sold alongside genuine bottles of Hennessy VSOP, The Dalmore, and The Singleton, which typically retail for NT$1,000 to NT$3,000 (USD 30–93) per bottle.
Authorities estimated that for every liter of base spirit, the group was able to produce three liters of counterfeit liquor. Investigators said the taste closely resembled genuine products and that no simple method currently exists to detect the fakes.
From February to April, police launched four waves of coordinated raids across Taichung and other counties, arresting all 23 suspects. They seized 1,935 bottles of counterfeit whisky, 50 barrels of base spirits, 83 barrels of food-grade ethanol, and nearly 19,000 empty bottles, along with corks, caps, labels, aluminum seals, cartons, and equipment used for blending and bottling.
Police also confiscated assets allegedly purchased with illegal proceeds, including a residential property, a BMW sedan, and NT$450,000 in cash.
According to Taiwan’s Criminal Investigation Bureau, Taiwan remains one of the world’s most active spirits markets, particularly for whisky. Customs data shows that in the first half of 2025, the island imported USD 232 million worth of whisky — exceeding USD 209 million imported by mainland China — making it a highly lucrative and increasingly targeted market.
The suspects have been transferred to the Taichung District Prosecutors Office for investigation on multiple charges, including document forgery and violations of food safety laws.
Discover more from Vino Joy News
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
