Value of seized fake goods dropped in 2012
A total of P5.2 billion worth of fake merchandise was seized in 2012, down 37.9 percent from the P8.38 billion worth of counterfeit items seized in 2011, indicating an improvement in the enforcement of intellectual property rights, according to the Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines.IPOPHL director general Ricardo R. Blancaflor said his agency had partnered with the likes of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR), and even the US Embassy to further clamp down on IP violations.Philippine authorities noted an annual drop in the value of confiscated fake merchandise in 2012 from 2011 due to improved enforcement of intellectual property laws.Blancaflor said among the reasons for the drop were the high value of seizures in 2011, lower value of goods seized, change in command in relevant agencies, as well as less visible or minimized selling of fake goods in areas where IP enforcement is strong.“In terms of the number of pieces of seized items, 2012 has a bigger number than 2011 but in 2011, most of the seized items were Swiss watches, which are higher in value,” Blancaflor said.Among enforcement agencies, the National Bureau of Investigation seized the most counterfeit goods with the value estimated at P2.7 billion, down 48.22 percent from P5.22 billion in 2011.The Optical Media Board was second with P1.16 billion worth of goods seized, down 5.99 percent from P1.23 billion in 2011, while the Bureau of Customs had P1.1 billion (down 26.67 percent from P1.5 billion) worth of seized fake items.The Philippine National Police chalked up P247 million worth of seizures, down 42.95 percent from P433 million the previous year.The bulk of the seized counterfeit items were luxury items such as handbags, followed by optical media such as digital video discs (CDs and DVDs).
http://business.inquirer.net/105597/value-of-seized-fake-goods-dropped-in-2012
Lear MoreChinese National Pleads Guilty to Smuggling Counterfeit Tobacco Products into the U.S
PROVIDENCE, R.I. – Lin Xiao Wei, 32, a Chinese national, pleaded guilty in U.S. District Court in Providence today to importing counterfeit tobacco products into the United States from China, earmarked for Rhode Island. Wei admitted to the court that beginning in February 2012, he arranged for the shipment of a 22-foot cargo container containing counterfeit cigarettes.Wei, who has been detained since his arrest in Miami on June 4, 2012, by the Rhode Island Food and Drug Administration, Office of Criminal Investigations (FDA-OCI) Task Force, pleaded guilty in federal court in Providence today to one count of causing the sale of counterfeit tobacco products.Wei’s guilty plea was announced by Peter F. Neronha, United States Attorney for the District of Rhode Island, and Mark Dragonetti, Special Agent in Charge, FDA Office of Criminal Investigations (FDA-OCI).Appearing before U.S. District Court Judge John J. McConnell, Jr., Wei admitted that he arranged for the purchase and shipment from China to the United States of a 20-foot cargo container of counterfeit Marlboro cigarettes. The cargo container, which shipping documentation claimed contained 696 cartons of leather products, was shipped from a port in China on March 27, 2012.Between the time Wei allegedly agreed to ship the fraudulent tobacco products to the U.S., and the arrival of the cargo container through a port in Miami on April 27, 2012, several wire transactions were sent to Wei for the cost of the product and associated shipping fees. Upon arrival in Miami, FDA-OCI and Homeland Security Investigations agents seized the container.According to information presented to the court, on June 3, 2012, Wei met at a Miami hotel with a confidential informant who was working with investigators, and an undercover FDA-OCI Task Force agent from Rhode Island. Wei discussed the shipment of the fraudulent tobacco products, as well as previous shipments of counterfeit pharmaceutical products and the availability of other fraudulent products.Wei is scheduled to be sentenced on April 10, 2013. Causing the sale of counterfeit tobacco products carries a maximum sentence of 3 years in federal prison; a fine of $10,000; and 3 years of supervised release.U.S. Attorney Peter Neronha thanked Wifredo A. Ferrer, United States Attorney for the District of Southern Florida, and his staff, for their assistance in this matter.U.S. Attorney Neronha also commended FDA-OCI Rhode Island Task Force members, Rhode Island State Police, East Providence Police and North Providence Police for their efforts in this multi-jurisdictional investigation.U.S. Attorney Peter Neronha also thanked Homeland Security Investigations and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives for their assistance in this investigation.The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Richard B. Myrus and Adi Goldstein.
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South African police help Tupperware fight fakes
Tupperware is confident aggressive actions by South African police have stopped counterfeiters from copying its products.Last year kitchenware manufacturer Tupperware reported fakes from China were eating away at sales in South Africa. Now, after legal actions and a clampdown by police, Tupperware believes the situation is under control. The victory should help Tupperware sales, and protect consumers.Rick Goings, CEO of Tupperware, described the threat posed by the counterfeits. “These things were made out of such shoddy resin products that somebody would put one in a microwave and it would melt around the chicken. These were dangerous products,” Goings said.Counterfeiters targeted more than 10 of Tupperware’s best selling products and flooded South Africa with the fakes. The sudden appearance of counterfeits undercutting the real products on price quickly hit Tupperware sales, prompting the manufacturer to fight back.Tupperware sought support from the government and now feels it has control of the situation. Police seized counterfeit Tupperware products from warehouses in South Africa, Goings said, and then destroyed the fakes.
http://www.securingindustry.com/south-african-police-help-tupperware-fight-fakes/s112/a1603/
Federal Agents Crack Down On Counterfeit 49ers Gear
Federal agents are cracking down on vendors selling counterfeit San Francisco 49ers gear, with hundreds of thousands of dollars of fake merchandise already being seized. As the team has made their Super Bowl run, Homeland Security Investigations along with U.S. Customs and Border Protection have been especially busy looking for knockoff gear.Investigators said some of what they’ve confiscated included jerseys, hats, and t-shirts“If we win, there will be more,” said Homeland Security Investigations Assistant Special Agent in Charge David Prince. “So there will be more operations, more people selling and we’ll be seizing more of this stuff.”Prince said more than $330,000 in phony items had been seized in the Bay Area as part of “Operation Red Zone.”
He said we all pay a price because of counterfeiting. “You’re undercutting American business,” Prince said,”There are different types of paint, different toxins,” he said. “Whatever they can do for a quick turnaround to get it over here.” Agents said they have also shut down 313 websites that were selling phony merchandise.
http://sanfrancisco.cbslocal.com/2013/01/31/federal-agents-crack-down-on-counterfeit-49ers-gear/
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Contraband tobacco trade up by 12% in India
High excise duty on cigarettes in India has resulted in the growth of contraband trade of the product with the total market estimated to reach Rs. 1,900 crore this year, up nearly 12% from the previous year, according to industry estimates. In 2010-11, the size of contraband cigarettes market in India was aroundRs. 1,700 crore.According to industry players, 17 billion cigarette sticks are smuggled into the country every year, making India the sixth highest consumer of smuggled cigarettes in the world.
Experts cited the huge price differential in India and neighbouring countries as one of the primary reasons for the increase in smuggling of cigarette in India.
Low cost cigarettes make their way to India from countries like China, Myanmar, Nepal, Bangladesh, Indonesia and Pakistan, they said.
“Smuggled and contraband cigarettes are becoming a bigger and bigger problem in India. There are lot of illegal cigarettes, which are smuggled from outside India and even counterfeit products are also sold in huge quantity,” an official working with a cigarettes company said.The government needs to take serious action to control the illegal trade, he added.
The smuggled cigarettes of 80 mm size could still be cheaper than an authentic regular sized 70 mm filter cigarette in India. “This is a direct threat to the filter segment which constitutes 69% of the total Indian cigarette market,” the official said.
When asked about the factors behind the increase in illegal trade of the product, he said, “Extreme high excise duty and VAT rate on cigarettes in India make smuggling a particularly attractive proportion.”Citing an example, he said the total tax on a legitimate R100 pack is as high as R68, but as contraband cigarettes do not pay any of those taxes, they are priced at up to R80 and still allow a high margin.
According to the industry estimates, 60 million sticks are smuggled every month in Mumbai followed by 35 million sticks in Delhi and 20 million sticks per month in Pune, Bangalore and Hyderabad.
Lear MoreCounterfeit products target of website
Mississippi Attorney General Jim Hood is hoping a new website dedicated to fighting counterfeit merchandise will help the state chip away at an unlawful, billion-dollar industry.
The Mississippi Intellectual Property Crime Center was launched Monday. Hood says it’s the first statewide website where counterfeit sales activity can be reported.
People can report where potential counterfeit clothing, CDs, DVDs or other bogus items are being sold, view pictures of counterfeit goods and look at the state’s laws concerning intellectual-property theft and links to other organizations that combat knock-off items.
“This is a first-of-its-kind website,” Hood said while seated at a table strewn with bogus golf shirts, ball caps, handbags and a counterfeit iPod seized by state officials. “Instead of calling in, (people) can fill out a form online if they see a product they think is counterfeit.”
The form asks for the street address, city and zip code of counterfeit activity. Those who fill it out have the option to remain anonymous.
Hood says manufacturers are losing $250 billion in sales nationwide each year through the sale of counterfeits. He did not have state-specific figures.And the goods can pose great safety hazards, he said, noting a woman in Tupelo who suffered a damaged retina after buying bogus contact lenses.U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement reported 19,959 seizures of counterfeit goods in 2010 with a value of $188.1 million – a 34 percent increase. Authentic items would have cost $1.4 billion.While law enforcement is making inroads, technology has made it easier for counterfeiters to produce knock-off goods “to near perfection,” says Joe LaRocca, a senior adviser to the National Retail Federation, a trade group for retailers.Consumers’ emphasis on low-cost items in a still-recovering economy opens up a new path for counterfeiters, too, he said.“It impacts any sector of retail – from sunglasses and handbags to the labeling of food,” LaRocca said.Counterfeit goods tend to be sold by street vendors and available at discount and secondhand stores, but also occasionally work their way into a retail store’s supply, he said.People who make and sell counterfeit goods often have backgrounds in drugs, gangs or other illegal activities and sell the merchandise to fund larger-scale criminal operations, officials say.“They’re folks who have chosen this lifestyle. They think it’s safer,” says Richie McCluskey, chief investigator with the state’s Consumer Protection Division.Hood says the website aims to streamline the reporting process and help people identify a counterfeit item.
Being able to differentiate between what’s legitimate and what isn’t is difficult, but there are some tell-tale signs people can spot, LaRocca said.First and foremost is the price. If it’s marked down significantly from the suggested retail price, that could mean it’s counterfeit, he said.It’s also common for bogus goods, particularly DVDs, to be on sale well before a previously announced national release date, he said.Counterfeit clothing often has no labeling or generic labeling mentioning only the price, LaRocca said.Mississippi’s intellectual-property-theft laws carry penalties of three to five years in prison and a fine of up to $10,000.
HP Kuwait Highlights Latest Product Innovations and Technologies against counterfeits
HP announced earlier today as part of their ongoing fight against counterfeits, new product innovations and technologies that will build further leadership momentum around printing and workflow solutions. The event was in the form of an interesting panel discussion with speakers from HP, Microsoft and Sheikha Rasha Naif Al Jaber Al Ahmad Al-Sabah, Director of IPR at the Kuwait Ministry of Commerce and Industry. The event was well attended by HP’s customers, partners and key media representatives.
“Awareness is key when it comes to fighting counterfeit products and it’s our constant endeavor to update customs, law enforcement authorities, our channel partners and our valuable customers on the latest products and technologies that help spot suspicious printing supplies.” said Omar Draghmeh Managing Director, HP Kuwait. “Our focus is always to give customers the quality and reliability they can count on. Our new labels on cartridges feature sophisticated holographic properties as well as a new Quick Response (QR) code which customers can easily validate using a web-enabled smartphone or online via a new HP web page. We are investing heavily to protect our partners, distributors and customers across the Middle East region.”
Officials from the Kuwait Chamber of Commerce, Microsoft and HP discussed the challenges posed by counterfeit goods and piracy to Kuwait and the wider Middle East region. The participants affirmed that education and increased vigilance, as well as evolving technologies including HP Mobile Authentication and Software Authentication will help protect consumers and businesses against fake merchandise.HP’s Mobile Authentication technology enables customers to verify the authenticity of their cartridge prior to purchase through the validation of coded security labels on both inkjet and LaserJet cartridges. Subsequently, customers can also validate cartridge authenticity by using the HP Software Authentication solution installed in HP printers.
The HP Anti-counterfeit Programme EMEA is making great progress in the fight against counterfeiting of its print cartridges and in protecting end-users and HP channel partners from falling victim to this illegal activity. All over EMEA, over the last four years, HP has conducted nearly 1,000 investigations, resulting in over 800 enforcement actions (raids and seizures by authorities) and nearly 9 million units of counterfeit products and components seized, thus preventing them from being sold in the EMEA marketplace and beyond.The HP ACF Programme encourages the reporting of information on suspicious printing supplies products or offers, no matter where the information comes from. Every lead is acknowledged and assessed and further action is taken as appropriate. There are several reporting channels through which suspicions can be reported to the Programme.
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10 most counterfeited products in America
Approximately $1.26 billion worth of counterfeit goods originating overseas were seized by the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) in 2012. Each seizure averaged $10,450 worth of counterfeitgoods. The value and the number of seizures changes dramatically each year due to the products sold and the success of CBP operations. The value of handbags and wallets seized in 2012 rose 142% compared with the previous year. Therese Randazzo, the director of the Intellectual Property Policy and Programs Division for the CBP, explained that CBP officials may seize knockoffs of more expensive brands in one year than in another. 24/7 Wall St. reviewed the 10 most counterfeit items seized in 2012, based on their retail value.
Lear MoreZambia: Ban On Counterfeit Phones Coming
ZAMBIA is in the process of banning the use and trade in all counterfeit and uncertified mobile phones in the country this year in an effort to curb security threats and halt the illegal trade in these gadgets.
The Zambia Information Communication Technology Authority (ZICTA) said with the planned introduction of International Mobile Equipment Identity (IMEI) registration, the process of banning counterfeit phones in Zambia was expected to start soon.
In a statement, ZICTA said it was expected that counterfeit mobile phones with fake IMEIs would be eliminated from the Zambian market. This will be done by blocking such phones from accessing Mobile networks in Zambia. .“Once the IMEI registration is implemented, these counterfeit phones will not be able to work on any network in this country,” ZICTA said.Introduction of IMEI registration would be announced to the general public in due course and this expected to in turn, wipe out the counterfeit phones with fake IMEI as they would be blocked from all networks in Zambia.
ZICTA has assured members of the public that they would be given adequate notice for this registration exercise.“The list of effects is endless but most prominent is the compromise on the quality of service these phones cause. Security, health, environmental threats, and compromise on standards, are some of the perceived effects of counterfeit phones on humans and markets. It is in this regard that ZICTA is working closely with relevant organisations such as the Zambia Bureau of Standards (ZABS) to curb both the importation and use of these products in Zambia,” ZICTA said.
In accordance with the ICT Act number 15 of 2009, ZICTA is conferred with the responsibility to approve all equipment used in the provision of electronic communication, mobile phones inclusive.ZICTA would work closely with ZABS to ensure that ICT equipment such as mobile phones used in Zambia, were of a specified standard.ZICTA to ensure that the ban of counterfeit and uncertified mobile phones in Zambia is successfully implemented, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with ZABS and ZRA to enhance collaboration.
http://allafrica.com/stories/201301281070.html
Lear MoreQuartet held for fake medical camp
Police busted a fake medical camp and arrested four posing as medical practitioners following a complaint on Sunday.
Sources said, the team of four, posing as medical practitioners, conducted a medical screening camp at Alangudi on Sunday. A day prior to the camp, the team publicised the event in the neighbourhood and announced that screening would be carried out on various ailments including Osteoporosis with latest equipment for a nominal fee.
On Sunday, hundreds of villagers gathered at the camp. Tests were conducted on the villagers and they were told to pay Rs 2,000 to Rs 5,000 for medicines manufactured by an unknown pharmaceutical company.
The villagers asked the medical team for their postal address for further communication which the team denied.An altercation ensued over the issue between the public and the medical team.On information, a police team of Alangudi rushed to the spot and made enquiry with medical team. Initial inquiry revealed that the members of the medical team are not academically qualified.
The fake medical team returned the amount which was collected from the public after the police intervened. Later, police took Kannan of Chennai, Ongaranathan and two assistants of the team to the police station for further enquiry. The investigation lasted till evening on Sunday.Tension prevailed in the area among the public after the police arrested the four member gang.
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