Lots of Money But Zero Clue

  SU Haijin (left), originally from Fujian Province, China, is today Cypriot by nationality. In August 2021, Su bought a pair of adjacent bungalows in Sentosa Cove for S$36.37 million (€25 million or
US$27 million). His older brother SU Baolin is photographed in front of the Eiffel Tower. He is, today, Cambodian by nationality

On 17 August 2023, in an island wide swoop of some of the most expensive real estate districts in Singapore – namely Tanglin, Bukit Timah, Orchard Road, Sentosa, and River Valley –  the Singapore Police Force nabbed nine men and a woman aged between 31 and 44. They are suspected of forgery and money laundering.

All are Chinese although some are now nationals of Cambodia, Cyprus, Turkey and Vanuatu.

The group had amassed assets of around S$1 billion including multiple highest-end properties, luxury goods, and spirits.

A Singapore Police Force photo featured on news websites shows quite distinctly bottles of The Macallan.

These have been seized and, in time, should be offered up at public auctions.

My advice is not to bid for them as they have been stored wrongly.

Unlike wine which should be cellared horizontally so it is in contact with the cork and blocked out air and prevent oxidation and the cork becoming dry, spirits – including whisky, bourbon, cognac, armagnac, calvados, and brandy – should be stored vertically, their bottle standing up so that the higher alcohol of 40% (and more) does not gnaw away at the cork (if the spirit is sealed by a screwcap, it won’t really matter if you store it horizontally or vertically).

The 10 Chinese arrested may have a lot of money but they have zero clue how to cellar one of Scotland’s most sought-after Single Malts.

Spirits confiscated included what looks like The Macallan. The bottles were, however, stored horizontally instead of upright

Police also recovered more than S$2 million in cash in the house