Millions of fake condoms sold by a gang across China have been seized by police after they were found to contain toxic metals . Police in Shanghai revealed today that they had seized three million knock-off condoms - thought to be worth nearly £1.3 million on the black market - after they broke up a large operation covering eight provinces . Officers said the lubricating oil used on the condoms at one production line in Henan province was so disgusting that it made them feel sick , according to the People 's Daily Online . Dodgy work : Fake condoms were made in a makeshift workshop in Shanghai . Big haul : A total of three million condoms , thought to be worth £1.3 million , were seized by police . Heavy metals are toxic metals such as mercury , lead and arsenic . However , officials did not reveal the exact metal traces found during the tests . The fakes were packaged as popular brands such as Durex and cost just 1p to make - 30 times less than the market value . Cheap raw materials - consisting of plastic strips and elastic bands - were used to make the condoms in makeshift workshops . But the gang still sold the condoms at the regular price of £4.20 for a pack of 12 via their own online shop , contacting potential customers via social media . The counterfeit condoms were also sold at motels across the country . Squalid : The condoms were made by women in a run-down residential property in the Yangpu district . Health hazard : Tests found that the counterfeit condoms contained toxic metals and were not safe to use . One woman in the Yangpu district of Shanghai had been running a workshop in a run-down residential property , employing local workers to make and package the condoms . The woman , who had already been arrested in 2013 for selling fake Viagra , was arrested along with eight others . Zhang Wenliang , a police officer from Shanghai 's Yangpu district Public Security Bureau , said : 'At a workshop in Henan province , we found a small production line which produced bad-quality condoms . The lubricating oil made us vomit . 'We sent the seized condoms to the quality authorities and tests showed they contained heavy metals . They are very dangerous to humans . ' Police said the gang had nine production lines and warehouses across the country . The fake condoms were sold in Henan , Anhui , Zhejiang , Hubei , Guangdong , Jiangsu and Shaanxi provinces . Not the real deal : The fakes were packaged as popular brands like Durex in the sophisticated operation .
Three million condoms seized in Jiangsu , thought to be worth £1.3m . Tests found they contained toxic metals that could be danger to health . Police uncovered a large network operating across eight provinces . Officers said lubricating oil used at one workshop made them feel sick .