Counterfeit brand-name condoms, including Durex, Okamoto and Jissbon, worth more than 5 million yuan ($764,654) have been sold across China via online shopping platforms such as Alibaba and JD.com, according to a report from the Xinhua News Agency on Sunday.
The fake condoms were soaked in "inferior silicone oil" in a room "full of sewage" without any sterilization measures, and labeled as big brands like Durex and Okamoto after being packaged by laminating and packing machines "covered with oil stains," the report said.
There is a complete industry chain for producing counterfeit condoms in many cities across China.
Durex, Okamoto and Jissbon had not responded to an interview request by the Global Times as of press time.
The cost of a pack containing three fake condoms is only 0.42 yuan, while the genuine ones cost more than 10 yuan, a police officer involved in the matter said.
"These workshops cannot be wiped out easily because the industry is highly profitable. The fakes were mainly produced in rental apartments and sold via online platforms, making them easier to hide from the police," said the report, citing the police who are investigating the case.
It is not the first time that Chinese law enforcement agencies found fake condom producers in China.
Two underground workshops producing more than 1.7 million fake brand-name condoms worth more than 5 million yuan were busted by police in North China's Shanxi Province on January 5, according to media reports.
The case emerged after Alibaba found out that fake condoms were sold on its platforms and informed manufacturers of the genuine brands and the police.
