22 more fake Apple stores found in Kunming, China, says report

(CBS) - Authorities in the remote city of Kunming, China have reportedly identified 22 fake Apple stores in addition to knockoff Apple stores that were discovered and widely reported on in July.

Apple China accused the stores of violating the company's trademark, and Chinese officials say the stores have been ordered to stop using the company's logo, reports Reuters.

Two fake Apple stores were previously shut down in Kunming. The Metropolitan Times reported that those shops were targeted due to lack of business licenses, rather than intellectual property or copyright infringement.

The international media took notice of the fake stores when 27-year-old American blogger BirdAbroad wrote about the odd placement of an Apple store in what the she called "the end of the Earth." Upon further examination inconsistencies were noted, including a misspelled sign and incorrect employee name tags. 

According to the blogger, even the employees were under the impression that they were working for the American company. 

Larry Dignan of ZDNet observed that Apple is one of the few cases where "the Chinese consumer wants the real Apple over a knock-off." The idea of counterfeit Apple products comes as a shock, even in a country known for its high-quality knock-offs.