BEIJING, March 14 (Xinhua) -- China's industry and commerce authorities seized counterfeit commodities worth 1.55 billion yuan (about 221.4 million U.S. dollars) in 2008, said a senior official on Saturday.

    Wang Dongfeng, deputy director of the State Administration For Industry &; Commerce, said at a symposium marking International Consumer Day, which falls on March 15, that last year the authorities made prosecutions on 128,900 cases of producing and selling counterfeit and shoddy products.

    He required industry and commerce administrations to improve their services.

    He also said this year the authorities would carry out several special inspections on the quality of commodities including agricultural materials, home appliances, building materials and farm machines.