Police target online sellers of knockoffs

More than 20 people have been arrested in Qingpu district for violating intellectual property laws, local police said Sunday.

The majority of those arrested were caught selling counterfeit brand products online, according to a press release from the Qingpu District Public Security Bureau.

In one case, a man surnamed Yuan was arrested on April 9 for selling knockoff MUJI clothes over the Internet, police said. Yuan and his wife had been selling the knockoffs since January. During that time, they sold more than 1,000 items priced from 60 yuan ($9.60) to 80 yuan. They made more than 20,000 yuan in profit over the period.

The couple told customers that they could sell their merchandise at a discount because it was surplus from overseas orders, police said. As their business grew, they began selling other counterfeit brand clothing.

In a separate case, a man surnamed Wang was arrested for selling knockoff Parker pens from his online shop. Police arrested him and two other men in an apartment on Taiyangshan Road in Zhabei district.

The officers seized more than 1,500 counterfeit Parker pens from the apartment. Wang started selling the knockoffs in August. He sold them at prices ranging from 50 yuan to 200 yuan. Police began investigating Wang after a customer reported him for selling counterfeit products.