Well-known convenience stores become "counterfeit cigarette disaster areas," manufacturing and sales chain surfaces

Recently, the sale of counterfeit cigarettes has once again attracted social attention, with well-known convenience stores becoming “hotspots” for fake cigarette sales.

On March 14, the “Guangdong 3.15 Evening Gala” exposed widespread issues of counterfeit cigarette sales at Meiyijia convenience stores. Many netizens reported purchasing “fake cigarettes” at Meiyijia stores, even directly accusing Meiyijia of being a “center for fake cigarettes,” jokingly claiming it has “its own cigarette factory,” which put it at the forefront of the fake cigarette sales crisis.

To verify whether the cigarettes purchased from Meiyijia were genuine, the investigation team reported the case to the Tobacco Monopoly Bureau. Staff from the bureau inspected relevant stores, and law enforcement officers from the Haizhu Branch in Guangzhou found 8 types, totaling 38 packs of problematic cigarettes at Meiyijia Yue 18880 Store on Dunhe Road, sealing them for further testing.

The investigation team conducted undercover visits in Guangzhou, Foshan, and Dongguan, purchasing problematic cigarettes from 10 Meiyijia stores. The Tobacco Monopoly Bureau identified at least 854 packs of counterfeit cigarettes, involving popular brands like Liqun and Xuanhemen. Four of the tested problematic cigarette samples showed significant issues in key smoke indicators, indicating higher carcinogenic risks and stronger addictive potential, seriously threatening consumer health.

However, days after law enforcement actions, the investigation team revisited the stores involved and found that at least half of the 10 stores still sold problematic cigarettes. Visits to multiple towns and streets in Foshan and Dongguan also revealed several Meiyijia stores suspected of selling “problem cigarettes.”

Such cases of fake cigarette sales are not isolated. Previously, a major case of counterfeit cigarettes sold through convenience stores was uncovered in Huai’an, Jiangsu. In July 2021, Zhu, who managed a convenience store in Huai’an, and Liu, who guided the store operations, adulterated the supplied cigarettes with small amounts of fake cigarettes to increase profits. After customer complaints, Zhu did not stop but instead saw a “business opportunity” and began actively seeking channels for fake cigarettes.

To evade regulation and customer complaints, Zhu developed a method of mixed sales of genuine and fake cigarettes. Fake cigarettes were not delivered in full boxes but broken into single sticks; they were not displayed on the shelves during the day but only partially at night, priced the same as genuine cigarettes. He also trained staff on sales tactics, instructing them to “sell based on the customer,” and if customers discovered fake cigarettes and demanded refunds, they would either get a refund or compensation with a pack of genuine cigarettes, with fabricated reasons.

Relying solely on personal efforts, Zhu could not expand the scale of fake cigarette sales. He attracted relatives and friends with high returns, building a profit chain for fake cigarette sales. He promised “5,000 yuan per share, with a return in 18 to 24 months,” and after recovering the principal, each share would yield 700 yuan monthly dividends. However, in practice, some stores performed poorly, and dividends fell far short of expectations.

Since May 2023, several shareholders demanded refunds. Zhu revised the rules, promising to break even in two years, during which shareholders could receive wages, and after two years, participate in profits from all stores with a 700 yuan share. He also established a “personnel transfer mechanism” to conceal the illegal nature of the operation.

In November 2023, near the Spring Festival, Zhu claimed that “stockpiling cigarettes for the New Year is profitable” and raised over 4 million yuan, heavily stocking up on cigarettes from “Li Yunlong.” He hired and arranged Zhang and Liu to handle delivery, store management, and complaint handling, officially stepping into large-scale illegal cigarette sales. Using shareholders’ investments, he rapidly opened stores in multiple locations, and when funds were short, he recruited new shareholders. By the time of his arrest in early 2024, Zhu owned 36 convenience stores.

On January 3, 2024, after receiving public reports, the Huai’an Public Security Bureau Huaiyin Branch and the Huai’an Tobacco Monopoly Bureau launched a joint operation, dismantling the fake cigarette sales network. Investigations revealed that over two years, Zhu sold more than 39,000 fake cigarettes through 36 stores, generating nearly 10 million yuan in sales.

The exposure of Meiyijia highlights deep-rooted issues within the nationwide convenience store system, especially for large and rapidly expanding brands, raising urgent questions about how to establish effective control mechanisms.

The circulation of fake cigarettes in convenience stores is mainly due to several key factors: first, the packaging of fake cigarettes is highly realistic, with QR codes that redirect to official pages, but details such as font printing deviations and “hui” character blocks are often flawed; second, stores employ covert methods, such as stockpiling genuine cigarettes in warehouses while displaying fake ones on shelves, and using “industry groups” to share photos and information to avoid inspections. Additionally, counterfeit cigarette producers leverage online platforms for transactions, using courier services to disperse shipments, further complicating regulation.

A deeper look into the fake cigarette supply chain reveals a clear division of labor in manufacturing and distribution.

From the source, fake cigarette production has become professionalized and large-scale. For example, in August 2025, the Tanghe County Public Security Bureau, in cooperation with tobacco authorities, dismantled a typical fake cigarette manufacturing and distribution chain. They uncovered seven production and storage sites, arrested 27 suspects, seized seven sets of manufacturing equipment and大量原材料, with an involved value close to 10 million yuan. These production sites operated in a frenzied state, with continuous work even when personnel rested, producing everything from cigarette silk bundles and filter rods to empty cigarette tubes, forming a complete fake cigarette industry chain.

In circulation, the spread of fake cigarettes is equally complex. Some convenience store owners revealed that most fake cigarettes are supplied by door-to-door salespeople or through informal channels introduced by friends. These channels are highly covert, and the prices are close to those of legitimate tobacco products, tempting store owners to take risks for higher profits.

Furthermore, reports indicate that on certain online platforms, forums such as “Yunxiao Tobacco Factory Bar,” “Yue Dai Bar,” and “Yue Dai Cigarette Bar” feature numerous posts trading in counterfeit and smuggled cigarettes. These posts display various counterfeit brands, with traders using encrypted contact methods, offering a wide range of fake cigarettes. This demonstrates that online platforms also bear some responsibility.

It is worth noting that Meiyijia is a well-known chain convenience store brand. According to the China Chain Store & Franchise Association, as of the end of 2024, it operated a total of 37,943 stores nationwide, ranking first in China, with over 40,000 stores by July 2025. On the 15th, Meiyijia’s headquarters customer service responded that they would further strengthen supervision and maintain compliant operations.