Police smash copyright infringement operation, detain 16

Police in eastern China said they have smashed a high-profile copyright infringement operation and detained 16 suspects following an eight-month crackdown involving the joint efforts of five governmental authorities and China's e-commerce giant.

In addition, more than 250,000 pirated books, worth more than 200 million yuan ($30.2 million), were seized, according to a statement posted by the public security bureau in Feixi county, Anhui province.

Police said they launched an investigation following reports that pirated books were being sold online, which constitutes a network copyright violation rather than a simple counterfeit product purchase.

Using big data provided by Alibaba, the biggest online shopping service in the world, police destroyed two warehouses and detained eight people suspected of selling fake books, most of which were from Beijing and Zhengzhou, Henan province, in January, the statement said.

Later, police detained another eight suspects in the capital's Tongzhou district and Zhengzhou, it added.

"The pirated books covered different industries, such as English learning and nursing," a police officer said in the statement. "These fake books infringed copyright, and some made using low-quality paper might also harm readers' health."

It is not the first time police have joined hands with Alibaba to fight against counterfeit goods. Earlier this month, the company helped Guangdong police crack down on the sale of fake health foods online.