Customs seizes 7 times more counterfeit goods in mail

According to the Chinese General Administration of Customs (CAG), customs officials seized approximately 37,000 packages containing counterfeit items between June and December of 2009, up 738% from the same period in 2008, state media reported. Customs officials blamed the growth of "e-business" for the drastic increase. Most of the counterfeit goods were destined for export, and ordinary mail is the most popular form of shipping, followed by express mail and ocean cargo. According to a report by IResearch, China’s e-commerce transactions reached US$77.6 million in 2009, an annual increase of 248.7%, but the CAG estimated that the value of counterfeit goods shipped increased by 402% during the same period.