On July 19, RELX Technology announced the company’s Golden Shield Program aided Chinese authorities in seizing over 70,000 counterfeit e-cigarette products in June and July, 2020. The street market value of the products seized is estimated to be worth over USD $700,000. It is understood that the products were intended to be sold in a number of markets around the world, including Malaysia, the Philippines, Indonesia and China. Following the rise in the production of counterfeit vapor products and e-liquids, RELX established the Golden Shield Program in August 2019 to help prevent the production and sale of the illicit goods. Members of RELX’s Golden Shield Program are working with online social media platforms, online e-commerce platforms, China’s Administration for Industry and Commerce, and local authorities throughout China to eliminate counterfeit vaping products from the market.
To date, RELX’s Golden Shield Program has aided authorities in 26 cases related to the production and sale of counterfeit vaping products, leading to the seizure of hundreds of thousands of counterfeit vapor devices, e-liquids, and other merchandise.
RELX’s R&D facility has performed a series of tests on the counterfeit devices and pods. The lab found that illicit compatible pods often use inferior e-liquids; contain harmful substances like toluene at levels that greatly exceed normal standards; and the nicotine content does not match what is labelled on the packaging. This explains why the compatible pods are often sold at a much lower price.
RELX has also found that fake RELX devices engraved with luxury brand logos, or co-branded devices, are also being sold on different social media networks like Facebook and Instagram. The fake engraved devices are similar to compatible pods in that they are produced in factories with no certification. The products are not only a serious violation of RELX’s intellectual property, they are also a safety hazard, as their batteries are not properly tested. There have already been a number of cases where the battery of a fake engraved device has exploded.
Chen Changlu, Deputy General Manager at Amperex Technology Limited, a leading Chinese battery manufacturer, stated in an interview, “Lithium is a very active element. If not managed properly, it can easily lead to an item catching fire or even exploding. Developing safe designs is essential when using lithium batteries, but the market has many different players. Some manufacturers remove the safety protection device or use inferior materials, creating a potential safety hazard. Please refrain from purchasing any products from unregulated manufacturers and only purchase products from legitimate manufacturers on official channels.”
RELX customers should only buy products from authorized channels and use QR code scanners on their phone to verify the authenticity of RELX products. For more information on how to authenticate RELX products, customers can visit: https://relxnow.com/pages/verify.
