Gang manufactured and sold fraudulent bottles of Sassicaia, one of the most famous Italian wines
A million-dollar business of fake famous wines was dismantled by Italian authorities this Wednesday (14). The gang produced perfect replicas of bottles and boxes of the Sassicaia, one of Italy’s best-known labels.
Two people were placed under house arrest, and another 11 are under investigation, according to the country's Finance Guard.
Investigators tracked down counterfeit parts that would be used to package at least 1.100 boxes of Sassicaia 2015 (6.600 bottles), which if sold in full, would represent revenues of approximately 2 million euros (R$13,1 million).
In Brazil, a bottle of original Sassicaia costs up to R$4. On the international market, the price is around US$200 (R$1.100).
The chain of counterfeiting involved everything from labels identical to the originals to wooden boxes produced in Bulgaria.
China business
The wines would be sent to wealthy customers in Russia and China, who had already placed orders, unaware that they were buying something fraudulent. A small part of the production would be sold on the Italian market.
The police found a warehouse near Milan where the two prisoners — father and son — were bottling and labeling a inferior quality wine produced in Sicily. From there, around 700 cases came out per month (4.200 bottles) sold as Sassicaia.
On site, there were faithfully reproduced labels, including holograms and quality seals used by the regulatory board of Toscana.
The agents estimate that they pocketed around 400 thousand euros per month (R$ 2,6 million).
Produced in the Tuscany region, the original Sassicaia, made with at least 80% Cabernet Sauvignon, falls into the category known as Super Tuscans — name given to Italian wines that use French grapes.
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