A former police officer was sentenced to a five-year prison term and fined 5 million yuan ($773,503) for selling fake branded garments online.

Li Zhifeng, who graduated from a prestigious university, joined the criminal investigation force at the Shanghai police and had three years of postgraduate studies while he was on the job.

But he said he quit government service to "make big money" and opened a shop on Taobao.com in February, 2009 to sell cosmetics.

Five months later, he began selling fake branded men's wear, including counterfeits of well-known brands Gucci, Armani and Versace.

His inventory was purchased at wholesale markets in Guangzhou, Shenzhen and Hangzhou.

Before a customer filed a complaint against Li last December with the commercial and industrial administration, he had netted more than 4 million yuan from the illegal sales.

(Source: China Daily)