Amazon Helps to Disrupt 3 Major Chinese Counterfeit Networks

Amazon identified and disrupted three major counterfeiting operations in China with assistance from local Public Security Bureaus (PSB) and the company’s Counterfeit Crimes Unit (CCU).

The intelligence provided by Amazon’s CCU to local authorities included the locations of warehouses and manufacturing facilities enabling the local PSBs to successfully raid the facilities.

More than 240,000 counterfeit luxury, sports, and automotive items were seized by law enforcement in Guangdong and Jiangxi provinces, preventing the fake products from being sold on Amazon or through other retailers.

The seized products included more than 130,000 counterfeit car accessories, including items with BMW, Porsche, and General Motors branding.

Also, more than 30,000 items of counterfeit clothing and fake brand labels were seized that infringed on brands such as Hugo Boss, Puma and Under Armour, as well as another 80,000 fake luxury products.

The PSBS also detained the main suspects responsible for these operations for further investigation.

“Our efforts to identify and dismantle counterfeit organizations are working,” said Kebharu Smith, associate general counsel and director of the Amazon Counterfeit Crimes Unit.

“We appreciate law enforcement acting on our referrals and thoroughly pursuing these cases. These outcomes protect Amazon customers, disrupt the counterfeit supply chain, and halt their illicit proceeds.”

This latest effort adds to the over three million counterfeit products identified, seized, and appropriately disposed of by Amazon last year, including some that had reached Amazon fulfillment centers.

Amazon also works with local PSBs in China to identify bad actors that illegally obtain government-issued personal identities and business licenses, attempting to register fraudulent Amazon seller accounts.

So far, 84 individuals have been detained in China due to this cooperation between local law enforcement and Amazon.

Amazon Fights Counterfeits Globally

Globally, Amazon stopped more than 2.5 million attempts by bad actors to create new selling accounts on the platform, preventing the listing of fake or dangerous items on the marketplace.

Through its fight, in 2021, Amazon’s CCU sued or referred for investigation to law enforcement over 600 criminals in the US, UK, EU, and China.

The CCU, in partnership with major brands, is constantly uncovering new approaches counterfeiters take in attempting to deceive customers and evade the law.

It provides the information to law enforcement, which then can take action such as in this case in California by US Homeland Security and the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department.

“There is no place for fraud on Amazon,” said Dharmesh Mehta, vice president of Amazon’s Worldwide Selling Partner Services.

“The production and sale of counterfeit goods poses serious harm to the intellectual property rights of the brands involved, as well as to the legitimate interests of honest sellers—and the customers who place their trust in our stores. While we are proud of the progress we have made, we will not stop until we drive counterfeits to zero, and we will continue to invest and innovate until we get there.”

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