Customs crackdown on top Chinese wine importer

Simon Tam, purple pager and Hong Kong-based wine educator, reports on investigations at ASC Fine Wines.

Just as a fever pitch had begun to rise in Asia’s booming wine markets with the announcement of the elimination of all wine tariffs in Hong Kong at the end of February, China's customs officers have come in to crack down on some of the mainland’s wine importers for the systematic underpayment of customs duties on wine imports.
 
Biggest among the alleged offenders is ASC Fine Wines, which is facing a substantial fine and the detention of some of its top executives who include...