Weird wine labels and exorbitant prices promoted by a liquor company have led Taiwan police to crack down on a prostitution ring, the online newspaper NOWnews.com reported Sunday.
While the normal price for a bottle of beer is about 30 Taiwan dollars (1 US dollar) and 500 dollars (16 US dollars) for a bottle of liquor, the liquor company charged 3,500 Taiwan dollars (100 US dollars) for a bottle of local beer, 5,000 Taiwan dollars (160 US dollars) for a bottle of Japanese wine, and 6,000 Taiwan dollars 200 US dollars) for a bottle of Russian vodka, the dpa reported.
The rules for drinking were even more strange: the drink had to be imbibed only once, and within 50 minutes; a 10 per cent surcharge had to be paid for extra service; a drink could be replaced if the customer was unhappy with it; and there was also an extra charge if the drink was taken "wearing a raincoat and spits into the mouth."
But an investigation revealed that the liquor company was actually a prostitution ring which lured customers through an internet chatroom, NOWnews said, and the labels referred to the nationality of the prostitute.
"Wearing a raincoat and spits into the mouth" was the code for oral sex, and "18 proof bear" and "30 proof beer" referred to the age of the call girls.
The online paper did not provide other details about the prostitution ring, but if convicted, those behind it could face a maximum five-year imprisonment on charges of offences against morals.