China seized nearly 2.4 billion counterfeit cigarettes in the first six months of this year nationwide, the State Tobacco Monopoly Administration (STMA) said Friday.

Law enforcement agencies raided 61 large counterfeit cigarette warehouses, rounded up 3,070 people in connection with the counterfeit brands and prosecuted 1,535 of them, said STMA.

The agencies also resolved 2,693 cases, each involving a value of more than 50,000 yuan (7,320 U.S. dollars).

China's tobacco industry generated 270 billion yuan in taxes and profits in the first half, according to the STMA.

Last year, 8.3 billion counterfeit cigarettes were seized in the country.

(Xinhua News Agency July 17, 2009)