GUIYANG, Jan. 31 (Xinhua) -- Six people have been detained in southwest China's Guizhou Province for making and selling fake Moutai, a famous Chinese liquor brand, local authorities said Thursday.

The suspects allegedly bought cheaper liquor at 50 to 300 yuan (44.8 U.S. dollars) per 500 ml and sold them for 300 to 4,000 yuan per bottle (500 ml) to markets in Beijing and Guangdong Province after repackaging with fake logos, according to police in Tongren, Guizhou.

The police confiscated liquor and equipment worth 20 million yuan, including 3,990 bottles of fake Moutai and 3,500 bottles of other fake brands.

Moutai is a sorghum-based spirit produced by Kweichow Moutai Co., Ltd. and is China's top brand of baijiu (white alcohol). The liquor is considered a luxury item that has long been a popular gift, often served at special occasions. A 500-ml bottle of 53-degree Feitian Moutai, its flagship product, bears a price tag of 1,499 yuan.