Chinese police have uncovered a series of online counterfeiting operations, ranging from fake perfumes sold in used bottles of genuine luxury fragrances to substandard electrical cables disguised as branded products, the Ministry of Public Security said on Wednesday.
The ministry released details of 10 representative cases as authorities stepped up efforts to combat counterfeit goods sold through e-commerce platforms, targeting not only online sellers but also the production and distribution networks behind them.
In one case, police in Southwest China's Chongqing city dismantled an operation in March in which suspects allegedly collected empty bottles of genuine branded perfumes, refilled them with counterfeit products and sold them through online shopping platforms.
Police arrested 42 suspects, raided 13 locations and seized more than 15,000 bottles and packages of counterfeit perfumes and other cosmetics. The case involved more than 30 million yuan ($4.5 million), according to the ministry.
Another investigation in Yuxi, Southwest China's Yunnan province, uncovered a network allegedly selling counterfeit and substandard electrical wires and cables.
Police arrested 36 suspects and raided 50 locations in January, seizing 108 metric tons of cables, along with counterfeit labels, compulsory product certification marks and anti-counterfeiting stickers.
Investigators found that the suspects had purchased substandard, unbranded cables, repackaged them as well-known brands without authorization and sold them online. The case involved more than 90 million yuan.
The crackdown also extended to clothing. In July, police in Yongzhou, Hunan province, arrested six suspects and seized more than 3,000 sets of counterfeit branded apparel in a case involving more than 20 million yuan.
Police said the suspects had manufactured or commissioned the production of imitation clothing, trademarks and packaging before selling the products through e-commerce platforms.
The ministry said online counterfeiting spans a range of consumer goods, including food, medicines, clothing, electronics and cultural products.
Police are increasingly using data analysis and intelligence gathering to identify suspicious transactions and trace illegal operations beyond individual online storefronts.
Rather than focusing solely on sellers, livestreamers and distributors, public security authorities are seeking to dismantle entire criminal networks, from manufacturing and packaging to distribution and retail sales, the ministry said.
Authorities are also strengthening cooperation with market regulators and businesses through information sharing, coordinated enforcement and preventive measures.
An official with the ministry's intellectual property crime investigation bureau said online counterfeiting infringes on the rights of consumers and businesses and undermines innovation.
Police will continue targeting the criminal networks behind counterfeit goods while working with other authorities to improve oversight and build a safer, more trustworthy online shopping environment, the official said.
