Police help brands to fight fakes

Jing'an district police and 19 big-name foreign companies with offices in the district are working together to crack down on counterfeit products.

A press officer for Jing'an District Public Security Bureau, surnamed Zhang, told the Global Times that under an agreement signed with the companies, the bureau will keep the companies updated on methods counterfeiters are using to produce knockoff products.

"We will give the companies the latest information to help them improve their measures against counterfeit products whenever we raid an illicit ring," Zhang said.

Special police officers will also be assigned to work with each of the companies so they can easily report cases to the police.

"The companies will help the police by sending experts to tell authentic products from knockoffs," Zhang said.

This year, Jing'an officers worked with police in Jiangsu, Zhejiang and Henan provinces to close down six counterfeiting rings that produced 200 million yuan ($32.69 million) worth of fake Burberry, Polo, Armani and Zegna products.

As well as luxury brands, companies that have signed up to the agreement include General Electric and Nike.