Editor’s Note: Translation courtesy of the Center for Regulatory Effectiveness
Tianjin Hong, March 24 (reporters Wang Jiajun, Ding Xiaobing, Shi Jiao).
Recently, the Tianjin police cracked the case of large groups trafficking in counterfeit cigarettes with a value of over one million yuan. Police indicated that in recent years, the groups have been taking orders for manufacturing and selling counterfeit cigarettes. So where are counterfeit cigarettes sold and where does the demand come from?
Tianjin police deployed more than 150 elite police in the Beichen District village where an underground counterfeit cigarette factory was confiscated.
Police spotted fake China, Yuxi, Su smoke, clouds, Yellow Crane Tower, Red Panda and more than 2,500 other counterfeit cigarettes.
Police handling the case told reporters: “based on our current understanding of the situation, the suspects were all from Fujian and the factory’s daily production was about twenty to thirty boxes.
Subsequently, the police immediately followed leads and people in Xiqing, Hebei, Hongqiao, Jinghai distributing counterfeit cigarettes were arrested, all 29 gang members were arrested, none slipped through the net.
One of the main suspects in the case explained that the underground factory can manufacture more than 1,000 units of counterfeit cigarettes per day. They change hands at two to three times what they cost to make.
A Tianjin Public Security Bureau of Economic Investigation Detachment official explained that counterfeit cigarettes have low costs and high profits causing some people take the risk.
According to the suspect who confessed, after the Spring Festival more than ten thousand counterfeit cigarettes were produced this year alone, most of which are sold to Tianjin and the surrounding areas.
According to the police, the counterfeit cigarettes cases in recent investigation show that gangs are selling counterfeit cigarettes in railway stations, wharves, tourist attractions and other places is a big flow of people. According to reports, the stations, tourist attractions and other places strong mobility.
Currently, the group of 29 suspects have been arrested for operating an illegal business, they all been detained by police on criminal charges. The case is pending.
