Chinese police seize fake iPhones as trade war with US moves tech theft centre stage
- Regulators and police act on tip-off that rip-off copies of status symbol phone were being made at flat in hi-tech zone
- Investigation expands as suspect claims he was small part of bigger network
Police in Shenzhen seized about 500 fake iPhones from a workshop believed to be part of a larger organisation that produced counterfeit Apple products, Chinese state media reported.
Local authorities seized more than 130 fake iPhone 8 Plus models in black and about 370 others in pink, along with manufacturing tools and cellphone parts from the workshop located in a flat in Fenghuang district, a hi-tech industry base, Xinhua said on Tuesday.
Police detained a man who was allegedly in charge of the workshop and who admitted the place was part of a much larger operation, the report said.
Local market regulators received a tip-off in September that someone was making counterfeit goods in a residential area. They joined forces with police to bust the workshop and its operators, the report said, without giving a date of the raid.
The flat was rented, and the suspect – who was identified by his surname Zhang – said he was only responsible for the operation of the workshop. It was not clear if others worked there.