NOVEMBER 2016

Two convicted in elaborate scheme to counterfeit 5-Hour Energy drink

• By Geoffrey Mohan, November 30, 2016, LA Times

A federal jury has convicted a San Diego-area couple on conspiracy charges in connection with an elaborate scheme to sell millions of bottles of counterfeit 5-Hour Energy shots in the U.S., prosecutors announced.  READ MORE>>>

SON Raids Kaduna Market Over Counterfeit Products

• By Midaf Joseph, November 30, 2016, Leadership-Nigeria

Nigerians have been warned of the danger of using counterfeit shaving sticks as they are a means of throwing money down the drain as well as sources of skin related problems. READ MORE>>>

Nassau County Police Display Counterfeit Items Seized In Major Bust

• By Staff Reporter, November 29, 2016, CBS New York

MASSAPEQUA, N.Y. (CBSNewYork) — The sale of counterfeit goods is a $250 billion industry, with consumers tempted at this time of year by designer fakes at bargain prices. READ MORE>>>

Brand value eludes Chinese companies

• By Yu Nakamura, November 28, 2016, Nikkie Asia Review

GUANGZHOU — China may have become the world’s second-largest economy, but in terms of brand value, Chinese companies still have a long way to go. READ MORE>>>

New hotline launched to combat counterfeit alcohol and tobacco

• By Barbara Jordan, November 27, 2016, runcornandwidnesworld.co.uk

A NEW dedicated hotline has been launched in Halton to combat counterfeit goods. Residents are urged to call 0151 511 8787 to report the sale of counterfeit or illicit tobacco or alcohol. It can also be used give information about underage selling of tobacco or alcohol to children. READ MORE>>>

Illegal gas plants shut down in Nairobi

• By Arangi P. Arangi, November 26, 2016, hivisasa.com

Inspectors from the Anti-Counterfeit Authority have shut down three illegal gas plants in Nairobi following a crackdown. The inspectors in collaboration with the Kenya Police embarked on a mission to smoke out businesspersons operating unlicensed liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) filling plants on Wednesday. READ MORE>>>

Black Friday Hype Leads to Counterfeit Canada Goose Victims

• By Joseph Shin, November 25, 2016, The Korea Bizwire

SEOUL, Nov. 25 (Korea Bizwire) – As in America, Black Friday hype is also sweeping the Korean peninsula with local consumers looking for the best deals and discounts. But at the same time, the hype has bred victims of fraudulent activity, sounding a note of caution reminding consumers to be cautious with their purchase decisions. READ MORE>>>

Eurasian Economic Union to combat counterfeit imports from Asia

• By Kira Egorova, November 25, 2016, Russia Beyond the Headlines

The countries of the Eurasian Economic Union are beginning to fight counterfeit imports with the help of radio-frequency identification (RFID). Starting on January 1, 2017, RFID tags will be used to identify all imported medicine. The announcement was made by Russian Minister of Industry and Trade Denis Manturov at the Anti-Counterfeit 2016 International EAEU Forum, which was held in Yerevan on Nov. 22. READ MORE>>>

Epson continues raids on counterfeit ink manufacturing units in Mumbai & Chennai

• By Staff Writer, November 24, 2016, TechNuter

Epson has always fought fiercely against the counterfeit ink business and has taken multiple measures to curb the sale of counterfeit bottles.  To protect the rights of its customers, Epson conducted a series of raids in Mumbai and Chennai recently, where operatives have generated information about fixers involved in filling, bottling, packaging and distributing counterfeit Epson ink.  In an effort to send a strong message of zero tolerance towards the sale of fake cartridges, the police in different parts of the country have stepped up their cooperation and efforts to arrest and terminate such practices. READ MORE>>>

Pharma most counterfeited category online, says report

• By Katrina Megget, November 24, 2016, Securing Industry

Globalisation and the booming using of the Internet is driving the market in counterfeit goods, with pharmaceuticals the most targeted, according to a new report. READ MORE>>>

BOC raids yield P775 million worth of fake clothing and cigarettes 

• By Joel R. San Juan, November 23, 2016, Business Mirror- Philippines

THE Bureau of Customs (BOC) said on Wednesday that it has confiscated in separate occasions some P775 million worth of fake goods in raids in Pasay City, Bulacan and Pangasinan.  READ MORE>>>

Fakin’ It?: What Are You Really Buying When You Opt for Bargain Goods?

• By Inside Edition, November 23, 2016, Inside Edition

Shoppers are on the hunt for bargains this holiday season, but buyers beware.  Inside Edition found great prices on many items around the country. But in some cases, we found those deals were too good to be true. READ MORE>>>

U.S. Customs and Border Protection urges consumer caution for counterfeit good

• By Will Peebles, November 22, 2016, Savannah Now

The holiday season is nearly here, and with Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals in sight, U.S. Customs and Border Protection is warning consumers about a recent increase in counterfeit goods. READ MORE>>>

Palm Harbor oncologist convicted of billing for unapproved cancer drugs

• By Frances McMorris, November 21, 2016, Tampa Bay Business Journal

A Palm Harbor-based oncologist was convicted Friday on federal charges of smuggling misbranded and non-government approved drugs into the United States and then filing claims seeking reimbursement from Medicare. READ MORE>>>

Woman is fined after making almost £20,000 selling fake UGG boots, designer watches and branded sunglasses on Facebook

•  By Joseph Curtis, November 21, 2016, Daily Mail

A woman has been fined after making almost £20,000 selling fake designer goods on Facebook, including UGG Boots, designer watches and sunglasses. READ MORE>>>

Federal Marshals Shut Down Booth of Chinese Trademark and Patent Infringer at SEMA

• By Staff Writer, November 21, 2016, Body Shop Business

At this year’s SEMA show in Las Vegas, U.S. federal marshals took action against a Chinese company and seized every product from their booth in the name of German spray gun manufacturer SATA. SATA was awarded $2 million in damages against the Chinese company for patent and trademark infringement that occurred at the 2013 Automobile Aftermarket Products Expo (AAPEX) Show in Las Vegas. READ MORE>>>

Cree goes after flashlight maker over counterfeit LEDs

• By Carolyn Mathas, November 20, 2016, EET Asia

Cree is calling out U.S.-based E. Mishan & Sons, Inc. (Emson), which it claims has infringed its patented LED technology used in Emson flashlights, including the Bell & Howell Tac Light. READ MORE>>>

Counterfeiting Trade Settles Into a New York Standby: Self-Storage Units

• By Michael Wilson, November 20, 2016, The New York Times

Time was, if you wanted a knockoff purse, you went to Canal Street in Chinatown and looked for a store with a back room. The police raided these stores and took the bags, but more always arrived. Finally, the handbag companies began to sue the landlords of the buildings, who in turn drove out the purse vendors. READ MORE>>>

Counterfeit alcohol has been linked to a number of suspicious deaths in Ireland

• By Staff Writer, November 19, 2016, thejournal.ie

THE SALE OF counterfeit alcohol has been linked to a number of suspicious deaths as Revenue warned of a crackdown on the illicit trade before Christmas. READ MORE>>>

Potentially dangerous counterfeit toys smuggled into Georgia

• By Tom Regan, November 19, 2016, WSB TV

ATLANTA – Counterfeit toys and other presents smuggled into Georgia ports are not only a scam, they could be dangerous. READ MORE>>>

Russia cuts number of ‘grey’ fur goods on market by 800% in 6 months

• By Kira Egorova, November 18, 2016, Russia Beyond the Highlights

Most counterfeit goods on Russia’s “informal market” come from Southeast Asian countries, Russia’s deputy minister for the Ministry of Industry and Trade claims, following the success of an initiative to eliminate imitation products. READ MORE>>>

16 pounds of counterfeit gold jewelry found in traffic stop, sheriff says

• By Angela Williams, November 18, 2016, WAPT News

Hinds County deputies uncovered 16 pounds of counterfeit gold jewelry in a hidden compartment during a traffic stop this week, Sheriff Victor Mason said. Deputies stopped Vasile Catlin Paun Monday on Interstate 20, authorities said. Paun, an undocumented alien from Romania, said he was traveling to New Jersey from Dallas. READ MORE>>>

Fake cigarette manufacturer shut down in Pampanga

• By Tonette Orejas, November 17, 2016, inquirer.net

LUBAO, Pampanga — The police and the Pampanga provincial government shut down on Thursday (Nov. 17) an allegedly illegal manufacturer of various cigarette brands in Barangay (village) San Isidro here. READ MORE>>>

German authorities seize millions of counterfeit vinyl and CDs

• By Claire Lobenfeld, November 17, 2016, Fact

Between 1.5 and 2 million pirated records, CDs and DVDs were seized in southern Germany and Poland in one of the biggest sequestering of bootleg music material in Europe in decades. Artists like Led Zeppelin, the Beatles and the Rolling Stones were among those who had their music pirated and sold at record fairs and online. READ MORE>>>

Groupon at centre of fake goods scandal as probe reveals sale of dodgy designer gear

• By Ruki Sayid, November 16, 2016, The Mirror

Popular deals website Groupon is at the centre of a fake goods scandal after an investigation revealed sellers flogging dodgy designer gear and jewellery.

A probe by the BBC ’s Watchdog programme found a set of gold sapphire earrings said to be worth £300 but knocked down by a staggering 95% were no more than costume jewellery.

For experts from hallmark specialists The London Assay Office found they were worthless as the metal contained no gold and the gems were also fake.

Chris Walne from The London Assay Office said: “Groupon are breaking UK law by claiming the stones are sapphires and by using terms like ‘white gold filled’. We could not see any gold at all on those earrings. I wouldn’t buy them for £2 let alone £15 or £300.” READ MORE>>>

Amazon takes counterfeit sellers to court for first time

• By Ari Levy, November 15, 2016, CNBC

Amazon.com is finally taking counterfeiters to court. The e-commerce giant for the first time has filed lawsuits against counterfeit sellers, after a number of businesses on Amazon voiced concern that knockoffs were killing their sales and endangering consumers. READ MORE>>>

As Cuba Opens for Tourism, Dallas’ Cigar Retailers Brace for the Possibility of a Lifted Embargo

• By Alaena Hostetter, November 14, 2016, Dallas Observer

Cuba was a forbidden fruit for nearly 50 years — closed to tourism and trade, the collective American imagination relied on photos of 1960s models Volkswagen beetles and hot rods, and people sitting on porches fanning themselves while puffing on Cuban cigars and listening to old transistor radios. READ MORE>>>

More Effort Needed to Crack Down on Counterfeit Products Sold at Amazon and eBay

• By Paul Ausick, November 14, 2016, 24/7 Wall Street

In late September, a Manhattan jury awarded Tiffany & Co. (NYSE: TIF) $5.5 million to compensate the company for sales of counterfeit diamond engagement rings sold by Costco Wholesale Corp. (NASDAQ: COST). A few days later, the jury socked Costco with another $8.25 million in punitive damages. READ MORE>>>

South Africa: Task Team Recovers Counterfeit Liquor Worth R24,500

• By Staff Writer, November 14, 2016, All Africa

On Friday, 11 November 2016, at about 14:00, Ethekwini Inner South Cluster Task Team tackled two suspects with 156 bottles of counterfeit liquor at the Unit 9 Shopping Centre in Chatsworth. The Task Team reacted swiftly after receiving information from a reliable source that a white Ford Ranger is transporting liquor which is illicit. The team recovered 13 boxes of liquor, in various bottles such as Bells Whisky, Russian Bear Vodka, Johnnie Walker Red Label, Klipdrift, Smirnoff 1818 Vodka and J&B Scotch Whisky. The total value for the counterfeit liquor is approximately R24500. Both suspects have been arrested and the illicit liquor will be sent to the lab for testing. READ MORE>>>

Counterfeit Products Hurt The Consumer And The Economy

• By Patrick Watson, November 13, 2016, Forbes

Retail giant Target (TGT) said in August it was severing ties with textile company Welspun India Ltd. Target said Welspun sold it counterfeit Egyptian cotton towels and sheets. They were cotton, but not from Egypt. READ MORE>>>

Steel group warns against counterfeit products

• By Staff Writer, November 13, 2016, Trade Arabia

The Steel Alliance Against Counterfeiting (SAAC) has warned that the growing presence of counterfeit steel products in the Middle East poses major safety, legal and financial risks for all stakeholders. READ MORE>>>

Adobe files IP infringement lawsuit against US individuals

• By Staff Writer, November 11, 2016, World Intellectual Property Review

Computer software company Adobe Systems has filed a lawsuit against a group of alleged software pirates and counterfeiters. READ MORE>>>

NBI seizes P2.4M worth of counterfeit socks

• By Tetch Torres-Tupas, November 10, 2016, Inquirer

The National Bureau of Investigation-National Capital Region (NBI-NCR) on Thursday seized counterfeit Stance socks worth P2,475,000 in Pasay City. Stance is an American sock and underwear brand popularly worn by NBA stars. READ MORE>>>

DuPont issues warning about counterfeit resin in China

• By Nina Ying Sun, November 10, 2016, PlasticsNews

DuPont Co.’s Performance Materials said its polymer unit has recently discovered a large number of counterfeit DuPont products in the Chinese market, including resins identified under the Zytel, Zytel HTN, Crastin, Rynite, Delrin, Hytrel, Vamac and Minlon brands. READ MORE>>>

What the Tech: Counterfeit Apps

• By Staff Writer, November 9, 2016, TEXOMAS

Downloader beware: fake apps are showing up in iTunes and the Google Play store that could steal your credit card information. READ MORE>>>

P55M worth of fake cigarettes seized in Davao City

• By Vina Araneta, November 9, 2016, ABS-CBN News

DAVAO CITY – The Bureau of Customs (BOC) confiscated nearly 2,500 boxes of counterfeit cigarettes estimated to be worth P55 million from eight warehouses in Davao City on Tuesday. READ MORE>>>

Industry cracks down on fake filters for fridges

• By Katrina Megget, November 7, 2016, Securing Industry

Seventeen refrigerator brands and the US Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers have launched a campaign to crack down on counterfeit water filters. READ MORE>>>

10 million fake sanitary pads busted in China

• By Staff Writer, November 6, 2016, AsiaOne

A workshop with more than 10 million counterfeit sanitary napkins worth over US$5.9 million (S$8.2 million) was busted by Chinese police recently, state media reported on Sunday (Nov 6). READ MORE>>>

Police: $1M worth of counterfeit goods found at yard sale

• By Staff Writer, November 5, 2016, sfgate.com

CRANSTON, R.I. (AP) — Police in Rhode Island say they busted up a yard sale and seized counterfeit handbags, clothing and other merchandise that could have been sold in stores for an estimated $1 million. Three men were arrested. READ MORE>>>

Zimbabwe: Counterfeit Bond Notes Printed

• By Staff Writer, November 4, 2016, allafrica.com

Bianca Mlilo — UNSCRUPULOUS characters have started printing fake bond notes which they plan to coincidentally release when the real bond notes are injected into the economy, a Cabinet Minister said yesterday. READ MORE>>>

San Jose woman busted after allegedly importing $50,000 in fake cosmetics

• By Staff Writer, November 3, 2016, com

SAN JOSE, Calif. –U.S. customs officials say a San Jose woman attempted to sell more than $50,000 worth of counterfeit cosmetics imported from Asia. READ MORE>>>

SEMA 2016: Alleged Counterfeiters Busted by U.S. Marshals

• By Ed Tahaney, November 3, 2016, automobilemag.com

The Specialty Equipment Market Association (SEMA) show is the best place to score the latest aftermarket parts. Evidently, it’s also a great place to get busted for hawking fake products. U.S. Marshals busted six Chinese vendors for allegedly peddling knock-off Jeep parts, reports FourWheeler. READ MORE>>>

Corbett pub fined for counterfeit vodka

• By Conor Kane, November 2, 2016, Irish Examiner

The pub company of former Tipperary hurling star Lar Corbett has been fined €1,500 and ordered to close for two days after being convicted of a breach of Revenue legislation. The conviction was imposed at Thurles District Court yesterday in relation to 23 bottles of counterfeit vodka seized at Corbett’s bar, Coppinger’s, in Thurles. READ MORE>>>

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