Prison for bogus wine gangs

NINE people received sentences ranging from five years in jail to life imprisonment yesterday for making bogus red wine and selling it as luxury brands.

Offenders from two separate rings based in Hebei Province's Changli City - known as "China's Bordeaux region" - were convicted of manufacturing and selling fake and substandard products by the Intermediate People's Court of Qinhuangdao City and the People's Court of Haigang District, Qinhuangdao City, reported Xinhua news agency yesterday.

The court said major offender Wang Chunping had from 1988 spearheaded a six-member gang churning out bogus red wine from a small proportion of wine extract, fermented grape juice, sugar water, flavoring and coloring agents.

This was labeled as top brands and sent to wholesale markets around China.

Wang was sentenced to life in prison and other members received sentences ranging from five to seven years in jail. They also received fines of between 10,000 yuan (US$1,554) to 1.4 million yuan.

Meanwhile, three offenders from the other gang each received 15 years in jail and a fine of 500,000 yuan.

Three wineries involved in the case received fines ranging from 2 to 4 million yuan.