Shanghai Customs leads nation in seizure of fake products

Shanghai Customs seized more than 14,000 batches of goods related to intellectual property infringement and handled 381 such cases last year.

This figure ranks top among all regional customs in China and accounts for nearly one-third of the total number of the nation's seizures of such goods by customs.

More than 7.3 million pieces of goods suspected of infringing intellectual property were intercepted by officers, with the amount of money involved reaching some 14 million yuan.

Local customs released information about a number of cases.

In October last year, local police received information that a batch of fake titanium dioxide products under the American chemical brand Chemours would be exported via Shanghai port and reported it to customs.

The customs officers then launched an investigation and intercepted 5 tons of titanium dioxide products declared by a Shenzhen-based trading company at port.

The cases of six suspected copycats have been transferred to judicial authorities for review and charges.

Earlier in August, post customs seized a package declared as "gifts" and discovered nearly 6,000 tablets inside. These had the markings of the erectile dysfunction drug brand Viagra and its maker Pfizer on the packing.

These drugs were later found to be fake.

Customs officers decided more packages might be on the way, and took note of the package's information and wrapping.

Between October and November, they seized 288 packages carrying some 14,000 fake tablets under the brands Viagra and Cialis.

This case is now being investigated by police.

In the first quarter of this year, local post customs officers have seized packages suspected of intellectual property infringement 2,236 times with 3,050 knockoffs, up 100 and 171 percent respectively.