Hundreds of counterfeit workshops shut down in Zhejiang

More than 400 workshops making counterfeit products have been closed down in Zhejiang province with the help of Chinese e-commerce giant Alibaba, according to the authorities.

The province's public security authority released a statement on Thursday saying it had shut down 417 sites for allegedly producing counterfeits worth 1.43 billion yuan ($207 million).

It said it had been provided with information by Alibaba, adding that similar campaigns will be extended to other provinces and municipalities, including Shanghai, Anhui, Jiangxi and Jiangsu, in a bid to fight the fakes and protect consumers' rights.

Wang Hairen, deputy director of the Zhejiang Provincial Public Security Department, said the authority will continue to work with the e-commerce platform, aiming to shut down more counterfeiters next year.

Ye Zhifei, an intellectual property right protection specialist at Alibaba, said the company makes full use of big data to block sellers suspected of stocking fakes, and passes their details on to the police.

"We also receive consumer reports and work to identify where the counterfeits are coming from," said Ye, adding that Alibaba cooperates fully with public security authorities to protect intellectual property rights.