On April 23, 2026, the General Administration of Customs of the People’s Republic of China released the Typical Cases of Intellectual Property Protection by China Customs in 2025 (2025年中国海关知识产权保护典型案例). The release compiles ten representative enforcement matters handled by customs offices across China, covering trademark, copyright, and design patent infringement detected at export, import, mail, and border small-scale trade channels.
The ten cases involve customs offices in Nanjing, Ningbo, Hangzhou, Huangpu, Shenzhen, Xiamen, Guangzhou, Jinan, Shanghai, Chengdu, Fuzhou, Qingdao, Zhengzhou, Beijing, Tianjin, Dalian, Gongbei, Urumqi, Lhasa, and Harbin. Goods detained in the reported matters include loaders bearing the “LIUGONG” mark, gasoline engine water pumps bearing the “EAGLES” mark, mobile phones bearing the “OPPO,” “VIVO,” and “Lenovo” marks, razors bearing the “Gillette” mark, television antennas implicating an “RCA Television Antenna” design patent, footwear uppers and bearings bearing the “MIU MIU,” “CELINE,” and “SKF” marks, sports goods bearing “FIFA” and related World Cup and UEFA marks, cross-border e-commerce shipments bearing the “Balenciaga,” “Hermes,” “Olaplex,” and “DISNEY” marks, trendy toy products tied to “POP MART,” “Labubu,” “Minions,” and “Nezha,” and watches, mobile phones, and machinery components bearing the “ROLEX,” “KTAMA,” and “ZOOMLION” marks moved through border small-scale trade.
The release identifies several enforcement themes from 2025, including application of an intelligent infringement risk identification model under the Smart Customs initiative, use of the “administrative and criminal law linkage” mechanism to transfer cases to public security authorities, mediation of design patent disputes through the Shenzhen Intellectual Property Protection Center, and implementation of special actions addressing foreign investment protection, cross-border e-commerce, the trendy toy industry, and upcoming events such as the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The cases also document methods used by exporters to evade customs supervision, such as declaring goods as “unbranded,” misrepresenting product names (for example, declaring razors as “lighting fixtures”), and enclosing fabricated “daigou” receipts and logistics documents in cross-border e-commerce parcels.
A translation of the release follows below. The original text is available here (Chinese only).
Case 1
Nanjing Customs used an intelligent infringement risk identification model to seize a case involving infringing loaders.
In January 2025, Lianyungang Customs, a branch of Nanjing Customs, inspected a used loader declared for export by a Shenzhen company. The inspection revealed that the loader, valued at RMB 200,000, used the “LIUGONG” trademark on its dump truck, body, and nameplate. The declared specifications were “unbranded.” After confirmation by the rights holder, the goods were deemed infringing, and Customs detained the loader. Subsequently, due to the rights holder filing a separate civil lawsuit for infringement, in April 2025, Customs assisted the court in pre-litigation evidence preservation. In August 2025, the court ruled that infringement had occurred.
This case represents a significant achievement of the Customs in strengthening the construction of “Smart Intellectual Property” scenarios. The Customs has adhered to digital empowerment, promoted the construction of smart customs, strengthened the application of “Smart Intellectual Property” scenarios, optimized the intellectual property infringement risk prevention and control model, and built an intelligent infringement identification model to achieve automatic discovery of infringement leads, automatic generation of risk factors, and automatic control of high-risk goods. Nanjing Customs actively participated in the model’s research and development and was among the first pilot units to apply the model. This case is the first infringement case detected by customs nationwide after the application of the intelligent infringement risk identification model. This case is an important manifestation of the transformation of customs control models towards a deeply integrated operational model of “expert judgment + machine intelligence,” and a significant achievement in the construction of smart customs.
Case 2
Ningbo Customs strengthens protection for high-tech enterprises and seizes case of counterfeit gasoline engine water pumps.
In January 2025, Beilun Customs, a branch of Ningbo Customs, inspected a batch of gasoline engine water pumps declared for export by a Zhejiang company. The inspection revealed that the pumps bore the “EAGLES” mark, with a value of RMB 159,000, and were declared as “unbranded,” totaling 530 units. Ningbo Customs immediately initiated intellectual property protection procedures. After confirmation by the rights holder, the goods were deemed infringing, and Customs detained the pumps in accordance with the law. The case involved suspected criminal activity, and Ningbo Customs initiated the “administrative and criminal law linkage” mechanism, promptly notifying the public security authorities of the case leads. In June, the public security authorities formally opened a case, and Ningbo Customs transferred the case to the public security authorities for further handling.
This case is a typical example of customs strengthening intellectual property protection for high-tech enterprises. Customs attaches great importance to the protection of intellectual property rights for high-tech enterprises, strengthening deterrence in import and export processes and cracking down on infringement and illegal activities. In this case, the rights holder was a national-level specialized and innovative “little giant” enterprise. Customs, relying on big data analysis, accurately targeted high-risk goods, successfully intercepting the infringing gasoline engine water pump from entering the international market and safeguarding the enterprise’s reputation in the international market. Customs focuses on the needs of enterprises, tailoring protection plans for them and providing comprehensive protection including precise interception, joint supervision, and referral to public security organs, thus maintaining a favorable environment for innovation and development.
Case 3
Hangzhou Customs seizes counterfeit goods, including mobile phones infringing on domestic brands, to protect independent innovation.
In June 2025, Zhoushan Customs, a branch of Hangzhou Customs, discovered 1,273 mobile phones using the “OPPO” trademark, 3,017 mobile phones and 400 mobile phone screens using the “VIVO” trademark, and 207 tablet computers using the “Lenovo” trademark during an inspection of goods declared for export by a company in Yiwu. The total value of the goods exceeded RMB 2 million. After confirmation by the rights holder, all the goods were found to be infringing. Customs detained the goods in accordance with the law, initiated an investigation, and made an administrative penalty decision to confiscate the infringing goods and impose a fine. Due to the large quantity and high value of the goods involved, and the suspected criminal activity, Hangzhou Customs initiated the “administrative and criminal law linkage” mechanism and notified the public security authorities of the case leads.
This case is a typical example of customs’ crackdown on infringements of independent intellectual property rights brands. It serves as a crucial support for protecting and developing independent intellectual property brands, enhancing my country’s core competitiveness, and achieving high-quality development. Customs nationwide have adopted measures such as delivering legal services directly to enterprises and coordinating with businesses to provide customized intellectual property protection services, forming a closed loop of “enterprises raising demands, customs strengthening protection, and both parties jointly safeguarding rights.” This case, through real-time sharing of infringement information between the rights holder and customs, effectively intercepted infringing goods, effectively preventing damage to the reputation of independent intellectual property brands in overseas markets, and effectively safeguarding the legitimate rights and interests of the rights holder. It demonstrates the customs’ firm determination and pragmatic actions in supporting national brands to “go global.”
Case 4
Huangpu Customs seizes counterfeit razors, focusing on public safety.
In December 2025, Dongguan Customs, a branch of Huangpu Customs, discovered 86,400 razors bearing the “Gillette” trademark, valued at RMB 43,200, during an inspection of goods exported by a Dongguan company. After confirmation by the rights holder, all goods were found to be infringing. Customs detained the goods and, following an investigation, issued an administrative penalty decision to confiscate the infringing goods and impose a fine. In this case, the consignor and consignee declared the goods as “lighting fixtures,” exhibiting clear characteristics of evading customs supervision by misrepresenting the product name. Huangpu Customs simultaneously notified the local public security authorities of this case.
This case is a typical example of customs focusing on consumer health and safety. Razors are daily consumer products used in close contact with the skin, and their safety and reliability are of great concern to consumers. The goods in question were produced without the rights holder’s permission and used trademarks without authorization. If they were to enter the market, they would not only disrupt market order and affect the consumer experience, but also potentially threaten consumer health. Furthermore, the destination country for the goods in this case is a country participating in the Belt and Road Initiative. If they were to enter the relevant market, they could negatively impact the overall image of China’s export goods and the international competitiveness of Chinese enterprises. The handling of this case, while protecting public safety, also creates a fair, orderly, and intellectual property-respecting port business environment for the high-quality development of the Belt and Road Initiative, fully demonstrating the customs’ role as a hub for the domestic and international dual circulation strategy in serving the country’s opening-up strategy.
Case 5
Shenzhen Customs’ diversified approach to resolving design patent disputes in the import and export sector
In October 2025, a company in Zhongshan discovered that a batch of television antenna products destined for export were suspected of infringing its “RCA Television Antenna” design patent and submitted an application to Shenzhen Customs for intellectual property protection measures. Shenzhen Customs immediately reviewed the patent and related evidence. By comparing patent features with photographs of the allegedly infringing products, it preliminarily determined that the goods in question were suspected of infringement. After the rights holder confirmed the infringement on-site, Dapeng Customs, a branch of Shenzhen Customs, legally detained the goods on November 5, 2025. To actively resolve the dispute, Shenzhen Customs proactively introduced the advantages of public interest mediation to the parties involved and the rights holder, guiding both parties to conduct mediation at the Shenzhen Intellectual Property Protection Center. Through technical comparison and legal explanation to guide the adjustment of demands, the parties finally reached a settlement agreement on November 27, making clear stipulations on the infringement determination and the amount of compensation.
This case demonstrates the customs’ effective exploration of diversified mechanisms for resolving intellectual property disputes from a holistic perspective. Shenzhen Customs actively implemented the spirit of the “Opinions of the General Office of the CPC Central Committee and the General Office of the State Council on Improving the Diversified Mechanism for Resolving Conflicts and Disputes,” exploring the establishment of an administrative and judicial joint mediation mechanism of “law enforcement guidance—professional mediation—judicial support.” After understanding the mediation intentions of both parties, the customs not only fully informed the rights holders of the time limits for litigation upon application but also actively contacted the Intellectual Property Protection Center to organize mediation for both parties. This approach, while ensuring that the rights and interests of both parties are not harmed, effectively addresses the pain points of long and difficult intellectual property rights protection cycles for many small and medium-sized enterprises, vividly demonstrating the flexibility and efficiency of customs’ intellectual property protection enforcement.
Case Six
A series of cases involving Xiamen, Guangzhou, and Jinan customs protecting foreign brands and seizing infringing goods.
In September 2025, when inspecting a batch of shoe uppers declared for export by a company in Yiwu, Haicang Customs, a branch of Xiamen Customs, discovered a total of 110,950 shoe uppers using trademarks such as “MIU MIU” and “CELINE and graphics”, with a value of RMB 389,000.
In July 2025, when inspecting a batch of bearings declared for export by a Guangzhou company that had “no brand and no model number”, Nansha Customs, a branch of Guangzhou Customs, discovered 111,000 bearings bearing trademarks such as “SKF”, with a value of RMB 287,000.
After confirmation by the rights holder, all the goods involved in the above cases were infringing goods. The customs detained the goods in accordance with the law, and after investigation, made an administrative penalty decision to confiscate the infringing goods and impose a fine.
In June 2024, Quancheng Customs, a branch of Jinan Customs, inspected a batch of ball bearings declared as “unbranded and unmodeled” for export. They discovered 128,000 bearings bearing the “SKF” trademark, valued at RMB 960,500. The rights holder confirmed that all goods were counterfeit. Customs detained the goods and transferred the case to the public security authorities in accordance with relevant regulations. In July 2025, through close cooperation between customs and public security authorities, 134,000 counterfeit bearings were seized, three counterfeit production sites were raided, and five suspects were arrested; all have been sentenced.
This series of cases exemplifies the customs’ effective protection of foreign brands. Intellectual property protection is a key support for optimizing the business environment and stabilizing foreign investment expectations. In 2025, the General Administration of Customs launched the “Special Action for Customs Protection of Intellectual Property Rights to Stabilize Foreign Investment (2025)” nationwide. In this series of cases, the infringing shoe uppers and bearings exported by the parties involved numerous internationally renowned brands. If manufactured into finished products and sold, they would cause significant losses to the rights holders. Customs, considering the characteristics of regional industrial layouts and the emerging trend of infringement cases extending from infringing finished products to infringing semi-finished products and accessories, has increased its control over goods such as shoe materials and machinery parts. Simultaneously, during the investigation process, customs established a rapid response mechanism for foreign-invested enterprises with significant infringement issues in the import and export process, efficiently completing infringement investigations, identification, and handling, blocking the flow of infringing goods, effectively safeguarding the legitimate rights and interests of foreign-invested enterprises, and demonstrating the customs’ responsibility in protecting intellectual property rights and serving high-level opening-up.
Case 7
Customs in Ningbo, Shanghai, and Chengdu uncovered a series of cases involving counterfeit sporting goods during major sporting events.
In December 2025, Beilun Customs, a branch of Ningbo Customs, discovered 5,930 dolls bearing the logos of the official mascots of the USA-Mexico World Cup, “Maple,” “Sayu,” and “Klach,” 3,000 soccer balls bearing the “FIFA” trademark, and 3,600 keychains concealed in a shipment declared by a Yiwu company as plastic document bags and paint sets. The total value of the goods was over RMB 86,000.
In July 2025, Shanghai Customs Post Office Customs, while inspecting a batch of outbound parcels, discovered 91 trophies with the trademarks of FIFA’s “World Cup” and UEFA, with a value of nearly RMB 10,000.
In June 2025, Qingbaijiang Customs, a branch of Chengdu Customs, inspected export goods declared by a company in Chengdu and a company in Xichang and found a total of 233 footballs bearing the trademarks “FIFA QUALITY and graphics”, with a value of more than RMB 40,000.
Upon confirmation by the rights holder, all goods involved in the aforementioned cases were found to be infringing goods. Customs detained the goods in accordance with the law, and after investigation, made an administrative penalty decision to confiscate the infringing goods and impose a fine.
This series of cases demonstrates the achievements of customs in protecting the intellectual property rights of major sporting events. With the 2026 FIFA World Cup in the USA, Canada, and Mexico approaching, market demand for event logos and related merchandise continues to rise. Some unscrupulous businesses are attempting to profit unfairly by counterfeiting logos related to international sporting events. Such infringements not only disrupt market order but also damage the image of legitimate authorized businesses and the events themselves. Customs closely monitors counterfeit and infringing activities related to sporting events in the import and export process. Leveraging the “intelligent trademark recognition” function of the new generation inspection and management system’s mobile terminal, and actively applying “image recognition” intelligent technology, customs instantly compares the logos used on inspected goods with registered intellectual property rights, greatly improving frontline enforcement efficiency. The detection of this series of cases reflects the strengthening of customs’ early warning and inspection mechanisms for protecting intellectual property rights related to international sporting events, effectively preventing infringing sporting goods from entering the international market.
Case 8
A series of cases involving the seizure of counterfeit goods through cross-border e-commerce channels by customs in Fuzhou, Qingdao, and Zhengzhou.
In May 2025, Fuzhou Airport Customs, under the jurisdiction of Fuzhou Customs, inspected four batches of goods declared for export by a Fuzhou company via cross-border e-commerce. They discovered 4,862 items, including clothing and sports shoes bearing trademarks such as “Balenciaga,” with a total value of RMB 276,200. All of these goods were declared using false names and specifications, and some packaging contained counterfeit documents such as customs declarations, tax payment receipts, purchase slips, and transaction vouchers.
In June 2025, Rongcheng Customs, a branch of Qingdao Customs, discovered 7,888 items of clothing, sports shoes, cosmetics, women’s bags, glasses, and belts with trademarks such as “Hermes” and “Olaplex” when inspecting goods declared for export by a company in Lanling via cross-border e-commerce. The total value of the goods was RMB 163,000.
In November 2025, Zhengzhou New District Customs, under the jurisdiction of Zhengzhou Customs, discovered 207 items, including towels, handbags, and women’s bags, with a value of RMB 36,000, when inspecting goods declared for export by a Zhengzhou company through cross-border e-commerce.
Upon confirmation by the rights holder, all goods involved in the aforementioned cases were found to be infringing goods. Customs detained the goods in accordance with the law, and after investigation, made an administrative penalty decision to confiscate the infringing goods and impose a fine.
This series of cases is a typical example of customs strengthening intellectual property protection in the cross-border e-commerce sector. As a new form of international trade development, my country’s cross-border e-commerce has developed rapidly, with great market potential and a strong driving effect, increasingly becoming a new engine for high-quality development of import and export trade. In 2025, the General Administration of Customs launched the “Special Action for Intellectual Property Protection in Cross-border E-commerce Channels (2025)” nationwide, continuously increasing the crackdown on cross-border e-commerce infringement. Some cases uncovered in this field have presented new infringement methods, such as: counterfeit complete sets of “purchasing agent” invoices inside the product packaging, forming a complete chain of “smuggling out of the country – purchasing agent mailing – resale domestically” by forging real logistics information, deceiving domestic consumers by passing off fakes as genuine. The customs’ investigation and handling of this series of cases has effectively cracked down on infringement and illegal activities in the cross-border e-commerce sector, protected the legitimate rights and interests of rights holders and consumers, and promoted the healthy and orderly development of the new cross-border e-commerce business model.
Case Nine
Customs authorities in Beijing, Tianjin, Dalian, and Gongbei have been involved in a series of cases involving the seizure of counterfeit goods in order to promote the development of the trendy toy industry.
In 2025, the General Administration of Customs launched the “Special Action for Customs Protection of Intellectual Property Rights in the Trendy Toy Industry (2025)” nationwide. During the action, customs offices in Beijing, Tianjin, Manzhouli, Dalian, Shanghai, Nanjing, Hangzhou, Ningbo, Xiamen, Qingdao, Changsha, Guangzhou, Huangpu, Shenzhen, Gongbei, Nanning, Chengdu, Kunming, and other cities strictly enforced the law, acted swiftly, and intensified their crackdown, seizing millions of infringing trendy toy products and recovering hundreds of millions of yuan in innovative rights for the industry.
In August 2025, when inspecting two shipments of goods declared for export by a company in Fangcheng County, Beijing Capital International Airport Customs and Beijing Daxing International Airport Customs, respectively, they discovered a total of 49,968 keychains using the “Labubu” image, with a value of RMB 48,000.
In July 2025, Dongjiang Customs, a branch of Tianjin Customs, discovered 4,000 plush toys featuring the “Labubu” character, valued at RMB 44,700, during an inspection of goods declared for export by a Shenzhen company.
In July 2025, Dalian Zhoushuizi International Airport Customs, under the jurisdiction of Dalian Customs, discovered 543 items, including dolls, travel bags, and shirts bearing the trademarks “Labubu” and “POP MART,” with a total value of RMB 6,500, during an inspection of a foreign passenger’s carry-on luggage in the passenger inspection channel.
In June 2025, the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge Customs, under the Gongbei Customs, discovered 26,260 plastic toys bearing the “POP MART” trademark, valued at RMB 131,000, during an inspection of goods declared for export by a company in Quzhou through the transit channel.
Upon confirmation by the rights holder, all goods involved in the aforementioned cases were found to be infringing goods. Customs detained the goods in accordance with the law, and after investigation, made an administrative penalty decision to confiscate the infringing goods and impose a fine.
In addition, customs offices in Nanjing and Ningbo have seized a series of products infringing on well-known IPs, including the “POP MART” trademark, the “Labubu toy series” copyright, the “Minions” image copyright, the “Nezha” image copyright, the “Minions” image copyright, the “Nezha” trademark, and the “Miniso” and “Brucco” trademarks.
This series of cases exemplifies how customs promotes the high-quality development of the trendy toy industry and contributes to the construction of a culturally strong nation. Trendy toy brands, represented by “Pop Mart,” have become wildly popular both domestically and internationally, driving the overall upgrading of my country’s trendy toy industry chain. However, this success has also brought with it the risk of infringement and piracy. The General Administration of Customs has launched a special campaign across customs offices nationwide, focusing on and cracking down on infringement and piracy risks. It has comprehensively strengthened the customs protection network for intellectual property rights across all channels, including sea, land, air, and mail. Through this crackdown, it has also promoted development and training, enabling more enterprises to benefit from the convenient customs protection policies for intellectual property rights, thus driving the healthy and orderly development of the trendy toy industry. This series of cases vividly demonstrates the customs’ role as a pioneer in precise legal education, a guardian of enterprises “going global,” and a promoter of cultural confidence and a strong brand nation. It reflects the customs’ practical commitment to contributing to the construction of a culturally strong nation and enhancing the country’s soft power.
Case 10
A series of cases involving the seizure of counterfeit goods through border small-scale channels by customs authorities in Urumqi, Lhasa, and Harbin.
In January 2025, the Khunjerab Customs, under the jurisdiction of Urumqi Customs, discovered 6,107 mobile phones bearing trademarks such as “VIVO” and “OPPO” with a value of RMB 386,000 when inspecting goods declared for export by a Xinjiang company under the border small-scale trade method.
In February 2025, when inspecting goods declared for export by a Tibetan company under the border small-scale trade method, the Gyirong Customs, a branch of Lhasa Customs, discovered four sets of drum kits bearing the “KTAMA” trademark and 166 watches bearing the “ROLEX and graphic” trademark, with a total value of RMB 82,400.
In August 2025, Heihe Customs, a branch of Harbin Customs, discovered 205 filter cartridges bearing the “ZOOMLION” trademark, valued at RMB 76,900, during an inspection of goods declared for export by a Heihe company under the border small-scale trade method.
Upon confirmation by the rights holder, all goods involved in the aforementioned cases were found to be infringing goods. Customs detained the goods in accordance with the law, and after investigation, made an administrative penalty decision to confiscate the infringing goods and impose a fine.
This series of cases serves as a model for customs protection of intellectual property rights through border trade channels. Border small-scale trade, a unique trade mode at my country’s land border ports, plays a vital role in promoting economic development and enriching border residents. Several land border ports in the Northwest, Northeast, and Southwest regions are suitable for this mode. With the continued development of border small-scale trade, some illegal enterprises have shifted their export of infringing goods, previously handled through general trade, to this method. In this series of cases, customs officials at multiple land border ports closely monitored the infringement risks associated with border small-scale trade during their routine supervision, effectively deterring illegal activities such as exporting infringing goods through this channel. Furthermore, in this series of cases, customs not only seized frequently infringing goods such as watches and mobile phones but also focused on infringing goods in specialized fields such as drum kits, fully demonstrating the enforcement strength of customs protection of intellectual property rights.
