Even Band-Aids can be counterfeit? The secret behind the "high imitation" band-aid

□ Fan Tianjiao, reporter of this newspaper

□ Gao Peng and Yuan Xuemin, correspondents of this newspaper

Band-aids are also counterfeit? In Ningguo, Anhui, "high-imitation" brand band-aids were found on the shelves of some rural supermarkets. And the purchase price of these band-aid sheets is only a few cents, and when they are sold to consumers, they rise to two cents and a half.

The reporter recently learned from the Ningguo Municipal Public Security Bureau that the local police, in conjunction with the market supervision and management department, successfully detected a case suspected of selling counterfeit drugs, arrested 4 criminal suspects, and seized more than 4,2 "high-imitation" band-aids involved in the case, with a value of more than <>,<> yuan.

In May 2022, the Forest Police Brigade of the Ningguo Municipal Public Security Bureau received a clue about a case handed over by the market supervision department, saying that when the staff of the department carried out daily inspection work in the township, they found a certain brand of band-aid on the shelves of a supermarket.

This was suspicious to the staff, as the brand's band-aid belonged to the Sinopharm brand and was only allowed to be sold in pharmacies. Later, it was determined by relevant institutions and departments that the band-aid did not contain pharmaceutical ingredients and was a fake and shoddy product.

"These band-aids were all sent by someone else's car..." After receiving the clues of the case, the Ningguo police set up a special case team, and investigated and found that although the supermarkets involved sold a small number of "high-imitation" band-aids, they all came from a wholesale supermarket in Xuanzhou District, Xuancheng City, and Zhu and his son, who operated the wholesale supermarket, were seriously suspected.

In September 2022, the special case team investigated according to the clues it had and found that Zhu's wholesale "high-imitation" band-aid was related to Huang, an employee of a pharmaceutical supplies company in Zhejiang.

According to the police handling the case, since June 2020, when Zhu was operating a wholesale supermarket, he learned that the wholesale "high imitation" band-aid was quite profitable, so he contacted Huang, who had business contacts, to find a channel. Huang contacted Lin Mou, a Guangdong Shang, who also had business dealings with him, and acted as a "middleman" to match Zhu.

By September 2021, Lin had sold 9 boxes of counterfeit brand band-aids to Huang four times at a price of 4 yuan per box, and Huang resold them to Zhu at a price of 430 yuan per box, and after Zhu received the goods, he was then sold to Ningguo Wan's hometown, Fangtang Township and other places at a price of 12.70 yuan to 6 yuan per box. The Xuancheng City Market Supervision Administration determined that a certain brand band-aid involved in the case was a counterfeit drug.

"There are 100 band-aids per box, which is equivalent to Huang entering from Lin at a price of 4 cents 3 per sheet, and then selling it to Zhu for 5 cents each. Zhu then sold it wholesale at a price of 6 cents 5 to 1 Mao2. Supermarket owners eventually sell to consumers for around $0.25. The police officer handling the case said that although the price of a single sheet is not high, it is quite profitable wholesale.

After investigation, in order to evade the blow, Lin directly couriered the "high imitation" band-aid to Zhu through logistics. When Zhu and his son were wholesaling, the target "customers" were also small supermarkets or shops in remote rural areas. "Mainly through the convenience of delivery to rural areas, these fake band-aids are wholesale, and remote villages generally do not attract the attention of regulatory authorities." Zhu said frankly.

"This case is not worth much, but it is not harmful. If the injured person uses such 'high imitation' band-aids, it is easy to cause wound infection or greater harm. The police officer handling the case said.

After grasping the facts of the violation and crime, the special case team successively arrested Zhu's father and son, Huang and Lin, and seized more than 4,<> "high-imitation" band-aids involved in the case on the spot.

So far, the suspected sale of counterfeit drugs jointly investigated by the Ningguo police and the city's market supervision and administration department has been solved, 4 criminal suspects have been arrested, and more than 4,<> "high-imitation" band-aids involved in the case have been seized, with a value of more than <>,<> yuan.

For the crime of selling counterfeit drugs, the Ningguo Municipal People's Court sentenced Zhu, Huang and Lin to seven months' imprisonment, suspended for one year and two months, and fined between RMB 16000,10500 and RMB <>,<> in the first instance. Because Zhu's son committed a minor crime, and had mitigating and mitigating circumstances such as confession, accessory, and voluntary confession, the procuratorate decided not to prosecute him.