Crackdown on illegal online trade in wildlife and medical products

Shanghai's market watchdogs have cracked down on illegal online commerce associated with the coronavirus disease pandemic, authorities revealed over the weekend.

Traders were illegally selling wildlife products and prevention items online, the Shanghai Administration for Market Regulation said.

The administration set 60 key words associated with wild animals and relevant products such as snake, smoked toad, ivory, hawkbill turtle, and 11 words such as virus prevention, medical use and antibiosis to scrutinize e-business platforms.

A total of 190,000 websites were monitored, and 98 suspect violations  spotted.

Relevant e-commerce websites have been ordered to block illegal trade information such as peacock and arctic fox, the administration said.

Seven e-commerce platform operators in Jinshan, Songjiang and Chongming districts are being investigated for selling medical apparatus and instruments without registration, and releasing illegal advertisements, the administration said.

Market watchdogs in Changning and Minhang districts have ordered e-commerce platform operators to block 59 links involving illegal wildlife product trade, and four online shops on Taobao are investigated for illegal sales of lizard and squirrel.

Shanghai Huandao Internet Science and Technology Co is being investigated for a fake advertisement, the Chongming District Administration for Market Regulation said.

It promoted a common mask for medical use and for children, the administration said.

In another case, Shanghai Tinghe Science and Technology Co in Songjiang District is being investigated for selling various masks online without registration, the district market watchdog said.