If you thought the rampant problem of phony Apple products and other unauthorized retailers had subsided in China, think again. The world's most populous mobile community continues to be plagued by elaborate networks and rings of fake Apple product vendors and distributors.
According to a report from Reuters this morning, Chinese authorities in Shanghai have taken into custody at least five people accused of manufacturing and subsequently selling counterfeit versions of Apple's iPhone. Incredibly, however, this ring was anything but amateur. In fact, local police said the group responsible for the fake iPhone network acquired components for the devices from Guangdong in southern China and then comprehensively produced and assembled the fake devices in rented apartments across Shanghai.
During the bust, authorities rounded up some 200 fake iPhones. At present, there's no telling how many were sold. But we do know that they are pretty pricy to make - even for a fake device. "The cost to make one fake iPhone, which used some genuine parts, was around 2,000 yuan ($313). It was sold on unauthorized markets and on the Internet for around 4,000 yuan, only a few hundred yuan cheaper than the real iPhone," the report reads.
Apple is believed to be working closely with Chinese authorities to crack down as swiftly as possible on these intricate networks of fake iDevice peddlers ahead of the iPhone 5 launch next month.
Source: Reuters
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