SYDNEY, June 30 (Xinhua) -- Australian authorities are on the hunt for the potential theft of prestige wine collections missing from the New South Wales (NSW) Hunter region, north of the state.
NSW police said in a statement on Thursday that dozens of wine collections with a value of more than 5 million Australian dollars (3.72 million U.S. dollars) were being held under agreement by Wine Investment Services Pty Ltd until it went into receivership in 2013.
"At that time, the business assets were seized; however, inquiries revealed a number of wine collections were not surrendered," police said.
"Despite numerous further inquiries by owners, liquidators and local police, the wine was not located."
Police are appealing for anyone who may have purchased or has been approached to purchase collectible to vintage wines such as Penfolds Grange to come forward.
It follows a special task force being established in March 2016 to investigate the circumstances surrounding the missing wines.
"Following initial inquiries, strike force investigators executed a search warrant at a storage unit in Newcastle on Thursday 31 March 2016," police noted.
"During the search, officers located business documentation and electronic storage devices related to various companies, which were seized for further examination."
