With the Holiday Shopping Season Comes Crackdowns on Counterfeit Goods
Cyber Monday is an opportunity for legitimate online merchants to capitalize on the holiday shopping season—but it’s also a time when a slew of websites look to sell consumers counterfeit goods. Online and offline scammers sell about $250 billion of fake brand name items annually in the US alone, with the design and fashion industries particularly hard hit. This past Cyber Monday, US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) worked together with European and Hong Kong authorities to seize some 700 websites, 297 of them based in the US, that were selling counterfeit goods. It is the fourth year that such sites have been targeted on Cyber Monday. ICE Acting Director John Sandweg said, “Working with our international partners on operations like this shows the true global impact of IP [Intellectual Property] crime,” in a press release. “Counterfeiters take advantage of the holiday season and sell cheap fakes to unsuspecting consumers everywhere. Consumers need to protect themselves, their families, and their personal financial information from the criminal networks operating these bogus sites.”
http://www.brandchannel.com/home/post/2013/12/05/Cyber-Monday-Counterfeit-Crackdown-120513.aspx
Lear MoreCyber Monday Sting Operation: International Strikeforce Seizes 706 Counterfeit Websites In Undercover Crackdown
An international strike force formed by 11 law enforcement agencies seized and shut down 706 websites on Cyber Monday that were accused of selling counterfeit merchandise. It’s the sting operation’s fourth year, showing that governments have made “Project Cyber Monday” as much of an annual tradition as retailers have Cyber Monday itself. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement said the websites were duping customers into unknowingly purchasing counterfeit goods on Cyber Monday, a day known for online retailers giving major discounts on their products to kick off the holiday shopping season. ICE seized 297 domain names while Europol seized 393 and Hong Kong Customs seized another 16.ICE said these sites not only flood the market with fake products, they can also compromise the personal financial information of customers.
Lear MoreCounterfeit industry tools seized in raids
DOHA: Thousands of counterfeit Stanley Black & Decker products were seized during recent raids by Alpha International for Intellectual Property, a Qatari Intellectual Property Protection and Enforcement firm, and the Ministry of Business and Trade. Raids were conducted following tip-offs from the company and the UAE-based IP enforcement firm, The Legal Group (TLG). The move aimed at combating trade in counterfeit products and protecting consumer rights. Among the products seized were Stanley branded spirit levels, aviation snips and chalk lines as well as DEWALT and Black & Decker branded cutting discs. Youssef Al Suwaidi, Director of the Consumer Protection Department at the ministry, said, “The Qatar Government is continuing efforts with collective expertise to secure consumer rights and revenues of manufacturers by cracking down on criminals that prosper from the grey market.
Lear MoreIn global op, feds help seize websites selling fake goods
In an operation involving 10 foreign law enforcement agencies, the Department of Homeland Security helped seize more than 700 websites selling counterfeit goods on Cyber Monday, the busiest online shopping day of the year. U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement, which is part of Homeland Security, said its agents worked with Europol, the European Union’s police coordinating body, and the customs agency of Hong Kong.“It was good old-fashioned police work,” said Justin Cole, a spokesman for the National Intellectual Property Rights Coordination Center, a multi-agency task force in Washington.The center’s Project Cyber Monday IV obtained court orders against 297 U.S.-based Web domains that had sold counterfeit goods to undercover Homeland Security agents. The goods ranged from electronics to sportswear to jewelry. “Once we have evidence from the copyright holder that the goods are fraudulent, we can go and get a seizure warrant signed by a federal magistrate,” Mr. Cole said.
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Sharp increase in seizures of potentially dangerous counterfeit alcohol in year to date
The Revenue Commissioners have seized 3.5 times more potentially harmful counterfeit alcohol in the first seven months of 2013 than it did in the full year in 2012.Revenue officials carried out 12 seizures of counterfeit alcohol up to up to the end of July in which 840 litres were seized. This compares to just seven seizures in 2012 in which 232 litres were recovered. In 2011, 1,309 litres were seized in 20 operations.A spokeswoman for Revenue said spirits, mainly vodka, was the alcoholic product most likely to be counterfeited. She said the counterfeit alcohol was produced illegally, usually using genuine bottles sourced from recycling centres and pubs. The bottles were filled with raw alcohol to a predetermined level before being diluted with water to a strength equivalent to other alcoholic spirits on the market.
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Northern police seize smuggled products
LAO CAI (VNS) — Police in the northern border province of Lao Cai uncovered a large quantity of illegally imported goods yesterday. They seized 700 bottles of cosmetics and hair dye and another 150 items of hair products owned by Dinh Van Dao from Kim Tan Ward in Lao Cai City. The goods all bore labels from Spain, South Korea, Germany and China, but had no supporting papers. Police also seized nearly 200kg of frozen-food of unknown origin, including sausages and grilled fish. The products were illegally imported i nto Viet Nam and found by police in Lao Cai City. The case is under investigation. — VNS
http://vietnamnews.vn/society/248276/northern-police-seize-smuggled-products.html
Lear More21 people face 115 charges in Ontario counterfeit bust
TORONTO – Police have charged 21 people in connection to a multi-jurisdictional counterfeit investigation spanning across Canada and the United States. The initiative dubbed Project PACE(Partners Against Counterfeiting Everywhere), targeted businesses in Toronto, Peel Region, York Region, Durham Region, South Simcoe and Windsor that were allegedly manufacturing and selling counterfeit products. Police began the investigation in August and search warrants resulted in the seizures of counterfeit luxury goods, fraudulent cosmetics, clothing, electronics, prescription drugs and TTC tokens that valued over $6.5 million. Authorities from the RCMP, Canadian Border Services Agency, U.S. Department of Homeland Security and police forces from across the Greater Toronto Area were part of the investigation.
http://globalnews.ca/news/998059/dozens-arrested-in-major-counterfeit-bust/
Lear MoreProject Pace bust nets $6.5M in counterfeit goods
TORONTO – A massive probe into the sale of counterfeit goods spanning Canada and the U.S. has ended with nearly two dozen arrests, more than 100 charges laid and millions of dollars of knock-offs seized, Toronto Police said Friday. The operation, dubbed Project PACE (Partners Against Counterfeiting Everywhere), was launched in August and targetted businesses in the GTA, South Simcoe and Windsor that were allegedly manufacturing and selling phoney goods, police said. “In most cases, consumers purchase a product in good faith, never imagining that an item is sub-standard and is in fact a fake that could possibly pose a serious health and safety risk to the unsuspecting user,” Staff-Supt. Jim Ramer said at police headquarters. Toronto Police decided to join together with an assortment of law enforcement agencies, including the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, and other partners to combat the sale of such products and raise consumer awareness, he said.
http://www.torontosun.com/2013/11/29/project-pace-bust-nets-65m-in-counterfeit-goods
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Fake viagra among $6.5 million worth of knock-offs seized by Toronto police in international counterfeiting probe
An international counterfeiting probe into businesses across southern Ontario and the GTA has resulted in 21 arrests and the seizure of thousands of knock-off products worth over $6.5-million, Toronto police confirmed Friday. Imitation designer Burberry products, ice wines, MAC Cosmetics, designer clothing and jewelry and electronics, even Viagra and fake TTC tokens, were allegedly smuggled over the U.S. border. The items were seized from 13 locations in Southern Ontario, several of them in Ontario, that police allege are manufacturing and profiting from the illegal activity. Police said the fake products have put the public at risk, because they pose health and safety hazards. Profits from counterfeit sales are also sometimes used to fund terrorism, warned police. Charges against the accused include fraud, possession for the purpose of trafficking in stolen goods and possession of property obtained by crime.
Lear MoreFake goods valued at $6.5M seized in Toronto
‘Unsafe’ knockoffs included Viagra, cosmetics, contact lenses
Police in Toronto have charged 21 people in an investigation involving millions of dollars in fake goods and products, including wine, cosmetics and male-enhancement medications, such as Viagra. More than 100 charges were laid in connection with the sale of fake consumer goods worth an estimated $6.5 million, police say. The goods, which police said were “substandard and potentially hazardous” included everything from knock off versions of Viagra and Cialis to makeup, contact lenses, even ice wine and TTC tokens. Police said the fake TTC tokens were smuggled to Canada from China inside shower curtain rods. Police told CBC News they believe they are in circulation.
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/fake-goods-valued-at-6-5m-seized-in-toronto-1.2444962
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