Shanghai: Over 50 criminal gangs involved in IPR violation destroyed

2013/05/07

This year, the police in Shanghai have already solved more than 300 cases on counterfeiting, increasing by 50% on a year-on-year basis. Over 50 criminal gangs producing and selling shoddy commodities have been destroyed, over 900 suspects have been arrested, more than 60 illicit lairs producing, storing and selling fake products have been ruined and about 10 escaped criminals have been captured.

In those cases, the police in Shanghai combined forces with the enforcement departments in other provinces to severely combat the whole illegal chain. According to sources from insiders that the police have participated in 6 battles led by other provinces and have been involved in about 30 coordinated fights against various violations, 20 of which were concluded.

The police said that IP cases on software piracy were not seen frequently, but created substantial damage. For instance, criminals in a case resolved by Hongkou branch had sold thousands of copies of pirated software valued at nearly 100 billion yuan via Taobao, one of China's leading online marketplaces.

In the first trademark counterfeiting case successfully resolved by inter-provincial efforts, a suspect surnamed Shi bought fake watches with world-known brands at prices from 50  to 200 yuan from a suspect surnamed Huang via Taobao and then sold them for 30 to 200 dollars to countries including the United States, the United Kingdom and Brazil via the Internet.

Shanghai police also combined forces with the public security organs in Guangdong, Henan and Fujian in several campaigns. In Shanghai, they seized 25 suspects, ruined 7 illicit dens, confiscated over 600 fake watches, 500 pairs of earphones and 300 scarves, as well as equipment which facilitated those lawbreaking activities, such as computers, bank cards and account books.

In a case on fake registered trademarks, Shanghai police together with its counterparts in Zhejiang, Anhui, Jiangsu and Guangdong destroyed a criminal network making falsely branded products of nutrient fluid, detained 18 suspects, confiscated 980 items of such products valued at 18.8 million yuan.

(Source: IPR in China)