SHOPS caught selling counterfeit products in Luohu Commercial City for the first time will be subject to a longer business suspension of six months in a campaign to combat infringement of intellectual property rights in Luohu District.

All counterfeit products seized will be confiscated and heavy fines of up to 30,000 yuan (US$4,110) imposed on convicted shop owners in an attempt to regulate the market at the commercial city.

The new penalties are contained in a series of renewed measures disclosed by the Luohu District branch of the municipal industrial and commercial bureau.

Officials with the bureau said cases involving a large amount of money that could be considered criminal offenses would be transferred to police for prosecution.

“The authorities are determined to be tougher in tackling the sale of fake goods in a campaign that was first launched in July,” yesterday’s Shenzhen Special Zone Daily quoted an unnamed official as saying.

Official statistics showed that 52 shops suspected of selling counterfeit products in the commercial city have been investigated, and 32 of these suspended from business for three months. Three shop owners were facing criminal charges because of the large amounts of money involved. Some 20,000 items were confiscated.

The official said the new phase of the campaign would also target agents who distribute business cards of shops selling fake products to people who cross the border through the nearby Luohu Checkpoint.

“These agents are employed to attract clients and take them to secret warehouses where there are a lot of fake products in stock,” said the official.

He said the bureau would work closely with police in the campaign. (Wei Jie)