China hit by counterfeit condoms

The authorities in China have intercepted around 2.7m boxes of counterfeit condoms in recent months in a clampdown on the illicit trade, according to local news reports.

The regional Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in Suqian, a city in Jiangsu province, and the National Security Bureau, told reporters that the fakes seized in the operation had an estimated value of 21.7m yuan ($3.5m). All told, nine suspects have been detained by police and a production unit and several storage locations have been shut down.

The copycat condoms - which included copies of a well-known upmarket Chinese brand - were found on investigation to be poorly manufactured and subject to leaks, placing users at risk of unwanted pregnancies and sexually-transmitted infections.

They were found in circulation in Jiangsu, Shandong, Guangdong, Jiangxi, Henan, Hebei and Beijing, according to the reports. Last year, the Chinese authorities seized some 4.65m counterfeit condoms, including a number claiming to be Durex products.

Other recent cases of condom counterfeiting have been uncovered in Ghana, Poland and the UK.


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