BEIJING, Feb. 16 (Xinhua) -- The overwhelming popularity of Bing Dwen Dwen, the official mascot of the Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter Games, has made it a focus of illegal sales.

Since the beginning of the Games, China's Ministry of Public Security has been monitoring related illegal acts, including resales of the mascot at higher prices at designated outlets and the distribution of related counterfeit products on online platforms, a ministry spokesperson said on Wednesday.

In collaboration with local market supervision authorities, public security organs in Beijing and the eastern province of Zhejiang have cracked down on bootlegged versions of Bing Dwen Dwen, according to the spokesperson.

The ministry said that consumers should verify with authorized organizations if a pre-payment or commission fee is requested, and they are encouraged to report fraudulent activities to the police.