A criminal gang involved in the production and sale of counterfeit graphics cards has been dismantled by the police in Binzhou, Shandong Province. The operation resulted in the arrest of 22 individuals, with 7 placed under criminal detention. The total value of the confiscated goods exceeds 15 million CNY, making this the first major case of graphics card counterfeiting in the country.
The gang's warehouse
In February of this year, a man from Jinan, Shandong Province, purchased graphics cards worth 90,000 CNY from a company in Henan Province. Despite expecting new products from 2023, he discovered that all the cards were dated 2022 and showed obvious signs of being wiped clean. Experts confirmed that these were fake products with counterfeit registered trademarks, and even the packaging was fraudulent.
Over the course of two months, the special investigation team conducted extensive investigations and made multiple trips to Zhengzhou and Yuzhou cities in Henan Province, covering a total distance of over 4,000 kilometers. Their efforts led to the identification of a criminal gang involved in the production and sale of counterfeit registered trademark products.
Police taking control
This gang had a well-organized criminal chain of operations. Some members were responsible for purchasing used computer components (mainly graphics cards) through online platforms, while others focused on cleaning and testing these components. There were individuals dedicated to refurbishing the components and packaging them with fake labels, as well as those responsible for online sales.
With a clear division of labor and tight organization, the gang operated across three hideouts, forming a complete criminal chain.
Police taking control
On July 13th at exactly 9 am, all three hideouts were simultaneously raided by the authorities. A total of 22 gang members were apprehended on site. The police seized various models of graphics cards, cooling fans, radiators, interface blockers, and other electronic components, as well as counterfeit packaging from a well-known brand. The fake anti-counterfeiting labels were incredibly convincing.
Investigations have revealed that since 2022, this gang had been purchasing used graphics cards from well-known brands through online channels. After cleaning, testing, installing, packaging, and rebranding the products, they sold them both online and offline. The total amount involved in the case exceeds 15 million CNY.
During interrogation, individuals such as Wang confessed to their involvement in the criminal activities of counterfeiting registered trademarks.
Warehouse