Nanjing Police have received a congratulatory message from China’s Ministry of Public Security for busting an inter-province gang which produced and sold fake beauty equipment, raking in ¥20 million. And they were caught after making a couple of brazen slip ups.
In recent years, the demand for products such as waxing heaters and beauty steamers has gone through the roof. With their high profit margins, so too there has developed a considerable counterfeit industry.
近年来，打蜡加热器、美容蒸锅等产品的需求激增。由于利润率高，造假行业也发展起来。
It started last month, when local food, drug and environmental investigation departments found a native of Anhui Province who was suspected of selling high-value, counterfeit beauty instruments and consumables in Nanjing.
事情始于上个月，当地食品药品和环境调查部门发现一名安徽人涉嫌在南京销售高价值、假冒的美容仪器和耗材。
Officers with the city’s Jiangning District public security went all out to trace the source. After collecting and analysing a large amount of evidence, the police found that since 2020, that individual had used his registered technology company to buy and sell fake beauty instruments together with two others.
该市江宁区公安人员全力追查源头。警方经收集分析大量证据后发现，2020年以来，该人利用其注册的科技公司与另外两人一起买卖假冒美容仪器。
Then they were to catch their first break. On 12 January, officers visited the technology company and what they found surprised them. Different from fake dens discovered in the past, the premises’ decoration was fresh and clean, while service was warm and thoughtful.
然后他们迎来了第一次突破。 1月12日，官员们参观了这家科技公司，他们的发现令他们大吃一惊。与以往发现的假窝点不同的是，该处所装修清新干净，服务热情周到。
Customer service personnel even introduced the beauty instruments to the police on site, although were silent on the issue of fakes.
客服人员甚至现场向警方介绍了美容仪，但对于假货问题却三缄其口。
But unfortunately for them, a message from an internal mobile phone was suddenly overheard, claiming the firm to be representing a certain brand of beauty instruments.
但不幸的是，突然听到内部手机传来一条消息，声称该公司代理某品牌美容仪。
Then came the kicker. Police checking the firm’s online interface for communicating with customers discovered a startling claim. “We have several brands; the price is preferential”, reports the Yangtze Evening News.
然后是踢球者。警方在检查该公司与客户沟通的在线界面时发现了令人震惊的说法。 “我们有几个品牌，价格很优惠”，扬子晚报报道。
“We will make whatever brand customers want.”
“客户想要什么品牌，我们就生产什么。”
Police realised they were on the verge. Tracing the supplier, on 26 January, officers were able to arrest six individuals engaged in manufacturing fake beauty instruments at a secret factory in Baiyun District of Guangzhou City.
警察意识到他们已经到了危险的边缘。 1月26日，警方追查供应商，在广州市白云区一家秘密工厂抓获6名从事假冒美容仪器生产的人员。
When it was all over, Nanjing’s finest, in cooperation with other forces, had cracked the case and arrested 16 backbone members of the gang. Over 100 beauty outlets in more than 10 provinces and cities were involved, between them selling over ¥20 million in counterfeit equipment.
一切结束后，南京精锐联合其他力量，破获了此案，抓获了该团伙骨干成员16人。涉及10多个省市的100多家美容店，销售假冒产品金额超过2000万元。