On July 6, three men clad in the uniform of the PAP were arrested by (real) police for hawking fake brand name cigarettes in Zhangmu, Guangdong province.
The three men were trying to persuade grocery store owners to buy their Shuangxi brand cigarettes, which they claimed were “gifts” their commanding officer received from favor-seekers; they told these store owners they would sell the cigarettes at a price much lower than market value. They had sold only two cartons of fake cigarettes for 75 yuan each when they were arrested. Fifty more cartons of the fake cigarettes were found in their car.
Note: It is indeed common for people in power, including but not limited to government officials, to receive petty bribes in the form of cigarettes and alcohol, especially during the Spring Festival. Often these officials will resell some of these “gifts” at low prices in exchange for cash which gives rise to a prospering business called “gift recycling”.
- SUN0769.com (Chinese): Fake officer selling fake cigarettes