Applied by the French-based high-end fashion company, Montagut, on April 22, officers of the Economic Investigation Unit of the He Nan Provincial Administration for Industry and Commerce launched an operation in the Zheng Zhou Area, capital of the province, to take out counterfeiting Montagut goods. 

In a so-called Montagut Official Distributor Shop on the south part of the Jian Kang Road, a T-shirt labeled with Montagut Made In Shen Zhen was sold at 780 Chinese Yuan and a pair of pants at 400 Chinese Yuan.  The authentic Tee sells at 1500 Chinese Yuan and pants at 700 Chinese Yuan.  A representative from the trademark holder said all the clothes carried by the shop were counterfeiting as well as the certificates of authentication.  One of the enforcement officers asked a saleswoman: "Why are you still selling them when you know they are fake?  Aren't you deceiving customers?"  The answer from the clerk was very funny: "You are not wrong they are fake.  But aren't they cheaper?"

According to information provided by the representative from Montagut, there were over 20 shops selling Montagut T-shirts and pants scattered on the busiest shopping streets in Zheng Zhou.  Every one of them claimed itself a general distributor.

Within three days of the operation, enforcement officers confiscated over 400 counterfeiting T-shirts and over 2000 pair of pants, which valued over 150000 Chinese Yuan.  Enforcement officers said no single shop among the 20 they raided was an official licensed one. 

(Reported by Tu Xianming, Zhu Genliang; Translated by Hu Yuzhang)

2002-05-13

2002-05-13