Chinese police have cracked more than 4,700 criminal cases of infringement and counterfeiting this year, and effectively protected the legitimate rights and interests of both consumers and enterprises, the Ministry of Public Security said on Thursday.

The cases cover food and drugs, auto parts, household appliances, children's items, construction materials and machinery, the ministry said.

The ministry established a bureau for food and drug crime investigation in June 2019 to combat infringement and counterfeiting crimes. It focuses on cracking down on the production and sale of counterfeit goods, especially those related to health and safety.

Police in Shanghai this year cracked a case involving the manufacture and sale of counterfeit drugs, arresting 21 suspects and seizing 45,000 bottles of counterfeit drugs. Police in Central China's Henan province uncovered a series of cases involving the manufacture and sale of counterfeit alcohol and arrested 57 suspects, with assets involved reaching 170 million yuan ($24 million).

Working with relative departments, the food and drug investigation departments attached to each level's public security authorities conducted more than 270 law enforcement actions targeting the offline market, and organized over 20 actions to destroy infringing and fake commodities this year, it said.

An official with the ministry's Food and Drug Crime Investigation Bureau said public security organizations will step up efforts to crackdown on infringement and counterfeit crimes. They also will eliminate the breeding ground for such crimes to protect the legitimate rights and interests of consumers and domestic and foreign enterprises.