100,000 Counterfeit E-Cigarettes Worth Over 30 Million Yuan Seized in Yangjiang
The police in Yangjiang City successfully detected a case of suspected manufacture and sale of counterfeit registered trademarks, destroyed a counterfeit den, arrested 6 criminal suspects on the spot, and seized counterfeit electronic cigarette products About 100,000 cigarettes and about 19,700 counterfeit e-cigarette tubes were involved, and the amount involved exceeded 30 million yuan.
(Source: Yangjiang Government)
Since the beginning of 2022, according to the Provincial Public Security Department and the Municipal Public Security Bureau, and the Food and Drug Environmental Investigation Detachment of Municipal Public Security Bureau has focused on cracking down on all kinds of intellectual property infringements that endanger the legitimate rights and interests of market entities. They intent to catch property rights violators and such criminal activities, to guide the city's economic development to a healthy state. At the end of April, the Food and Drug Environmental Investigation Detachment penetrated into a gang that produced counterfeit electronic cigarettes in the urban area of the city and sold them to other places. The estimated value involved in the case is huge. The detachment immediately took the lead in organizing the relevant departments to investigate the case.
After a preliminary investigation, the police handling the case found that the gang had rented a building in the factory area as a base of operations in the urban area. Due to the large number of factories and buildings in the vicinity, and the numerous companies renting in the area, the personnel and vehicles entering and leaving are difficult to track.
The police handling the case utilized the smart new police service and by day-night stake out, they were able to lock a suspicious truck with a foreign license plate. The truck usually arrives at the factory at 5:00 am to unload the goods. The goods were basic raw materials. After the expedited production of the products is completed, they were then packed immediately. Generally, they will leave Yangjiang city around 5:00 pm on the same day, and the frequency is once every 3 to 5 days. The factory personnel usually rest during the day and start production after 7 pm, but will organize a rushed production during the day when the truck transports raw materials for counterfeit.
After more than a month of in-depth investigation, the police handling the case were able to grasped evidence of the gang's production and sale of counterfeit e-cigarettes, a clear structure of the gang members and the rules of import and export.
On the morning of June 2, when the time was right to close in on the case, the Food and Drug Environmental Investigation Detachment took the lead in organizing the Public Security Brigade of the Jiangcheng to cooperate with the Tobacco Bureau. They dispatched more than 50 police and law enforcement officers to carry the capture and closing of the operation. The police arrested 6 suspects as well as 62 production workers. About 100,000 counterfeit electronic cigarettes, 19,700 electronic cigarette tubes, 20 electric welding machines, 19 capping machines, and 2 vehicles were seized at the scene.
After interrogation, the six criminal suspects explained that in order to make huge profits, the gang has produced counterfeit electronic cigarettes in the production and sold them to other places. The operation has been ongoing since January this year amounting more than 30 million yuan. At present, the case is being further processed.
The e-cigarette company that has been counterfeited sent a pennant of thanks to the Food and Drug Environmental Investigation Detachment, thanking the police for closing the operations of the gang and contributing to safeguarding the legitimate rights and interests of the intellectual holders, keeping the market place safe.
