Alibaba uses data and tech to unearth counterfeit racquets impacting over 130 brands
Alibaba has released information around its counterfeit enforcement program ‘Operation Cloud Sword’, saying that it cracked down on 417 counterfeit production racquets during the four-month investigation.
Alibaba details its fake goods crackdown
According to Alibaba, ‘Operation Cloud Sword’ used technology, such as complex algorithms, machine learning, optical character recognition (OCR), and mapping technologies, to automatically generate leads to help law enforcement determine the source of a fake product.
The investigation, which ran from April until July this year across 12 China provinces and municipalities, was carried out alongside China’s Ministry of Public Security which arrested 332 suspects.
According to Alibaba, the technology detected over 30 categories of counterfeit products across 131 brands such as Starbucks, Converse, Adidas, Nike, Mobil, Samsung and Philips.
It’s been mixed year for Alibaba in terms of its involvement in the prevention of counterfeit goods. The company became embroiled in debate about the ethics of it being involved in anti-counterfeit group IACC but the company maintained the legitimacy of its involvement, even doing the keynote speech at its annual event. Alibaba group president Mike Evans used the address to detail its plans to use technology to help detect counterfeit goods.