60% of Liquor in China is Fake
Apparently, making counterfeit items extends far beyond Louis Vuitton purses, movies, and software in China. It even affects the liquor supply. According to this article, nearly 60% of liquor sold in four major Chinese cities is fake. The State Administration for Industry and Commerce inspected 40 bottles in 19 stores and found that 23 were fake, including supposed Hennesy, Remy Martin, Martell, and other whiskies.
Even worse, some of this “liquor” can be extremely dangerous. For example, last year, a man was sentenced to death and 14 others jailed for selling liquor that was made with formaldehyde. It killed 14 people and caused illness in 41 others.
If I ever get around to visiting China, I think I’ll have to go sober for a short while or try to bring my own. (Is that even allowed? I assume so.)
March 25th, 2006 at 11:46 am
No need to go dry - just opt for the local beer. It’s inexpensive, so there’s little margin for forgery.