Suspected counterfeit solar panels caught at Shanghai’s ports

Shanghai Customs says its frontline port units handled 16 cases of suspected infringing solar (photovoltaic) products between January and September, involving goods worth more than 5 million yuan. The figures were released on 10 October and reported by China News Service the same day. [1]

According to the report, the cases involved attempts to imitate well-known solar module brands and sell them cheaply overseas. Officers check packaging, workmanship, anti-counterfeiting labels and other details, using a trademark identification tool, to tell genuine products from fakes. The report doesn’t name the brands or companies involved, or say how the cases were resolved. [1]

Shanghai Customs is also encouraging rights holders to record their rights for customs protection. It has set up a cross-border IP service station with the Shanghai Intellectual Property Office and the Pudong New Area government. [1]

For brand owners, this is a reminder that counterfeiting isn’t limited to consumer goods. When fakes are aimed at overseas buyers, the port can be one of the few places to stop them before they’re spread across several markets. That works much better when your trademarks are recorded with customs and officers know what the genuine product looks like.

Sources

1. China News Service (chinanews.com.cn). 1月至9月上海口岸一线海关部门查发涉嫌侵权光伏产品案16起. Published 2026-10-10 11:52 Beijing time. Chinese (Simplified). Byline: Jiang Yu (姜煜), reporter; editor Yu Xiao (于晓). Accessed 12 October 2026. Working English title translation: Shanghai port frontline customs units uncover 16 cases of suspected infringing photovoltaic products from January to September (working translation).