MARCH 2017

Dubai seizes more than 3m counterfeit goods in four raids

More than three million counterfeit products of more than 30 renowned brands were confiscated in Dubai after four warehouses were raided in the emirate. READ MORE>>>

11 on trial over counterfeit baby formula

  • By Feng Shuang, March 30, 2017, ecns.cn

Eleven people face criminal charges for producing and selling counterfeit baby formula involving top brand names, according to a court in Shanghai. READ MORE>>>

Punjabi Woman Convicted for running Fake Designer Clothing Factory

  • By Sarah-Louise Kearney, March 28, 2017, Desiblitz

A Punjabi woman, along with an Asian man, received suspended prison sentences for running a fake designer clothing factory. They received one-year sentences, suspended for two years. READ MORE>>>

Punjabi Woman Convicted for running Fake Designer Clothing Factory

  • By Sarah-Louise Kearney, March 28, 2017, Desiblitz

A Punjabi woman, along with an Asian man, received suspended prison sentences for running a fake designer clothing factory. They received one-year sentences, suspended for two years. READ MORE>>>

This Girl Accidentally Bought a Counterfeit Urban Decay Palette on Groupon

  • By Gillian Fuller, March 28, 2017, Allure

Counterfeit beauty is a major industry — almost as expansive as the beauty industry itself. Unfortunately, it’s not as well-known an issue as, say, counterfeit fashion is, despite being, arguably, far more dangerous, since you’re actually ingesting a bit of lipstick and applying products directly to your skin. You never know what’s inside fake makeup. According to a report from the U.K.’s Police Intellectual Property Crime Unit (PIPCU) back in 2015, everything from arsenic to mercury was found in counterfeit foundations, lip glosses, and mascaras. Ewww. READ MORE>>>

Spin Master Sues Chinese Manufacturer for Alleged Patent Infringement of Hatchimals®

  • By Press Release, March 27, 2017, Newswire

TORONTO, March 27, 2017 /CNW/ – Spin Master Ltd., a leading global children’s entertainment company and the fourth largest toy manufacturer in the U.S. according to the NPD Group*, announced today that it has filed a civil proceeding against Dongguan Moral Region Co Ltd, the manufacturer of “Fuzzy Wonderz” and “Hibou Egg,” with Guangzhou IP court in China for its alleged patent infringement against Spin Master’s utility model (No. 201620518129.6), one of the patents covering technology behind the popular Hatchimals toy. This is the first civil action of Spin Master in China for Hatchimals, which has become a global hit, recently receiving the prestigious Innovative Toy of the Year award from the Toy Industry Association of America and Toy of the Year award at the UK Toy Industry Awards. READ MORE>>>

Facebook ‘faker’ sentenced for selling fake designer products

A Facebook ‘faker’ has admitted selling fake branded goods after she was caught by trading standards. Alison McGee, of Chesham Close, West Worthing pleaded guilty to ten counts of selling fake branded goods, a spokesperson for West Sussex Trading Standards said. READ MORE>>>

Awareness will stop fake goods trade

The trade in fake or counterfeit handbags is one of the necessary evils of the industry. For one thing, clamping down on the trade of fake goods is extraordinarily difficult. Given the branding of these goods as reflecting one’s aspirations in life, many companies tolerate low levels of trade in fake goods as it helps elevate the exclusivity of their brands. On a state level, however, the trade of fake goods undermines a country’s commitment to the enforcement of intellectual property rights and the rule of law. READ MORE>>>

Amazon to step up counterfeit take-down program

  • By Chris Dawson, March 26, 2017, TameBay

Amazon intend to expand their Brand Registry program in the US to allow every brand to register their logo and products. The aim is to enable brand owners to more easily report counterfeit products as Amazon. READ MORE>>>

40,000 Counterfeit Condoms In Puerto Rico Seized By U.S. Agents

On Tuesday, U.S. Customs and Border Protection stated that the condoms were manufactured in China. Food and Drug Administration and Homeland Security officials and Immigration and customs agents seized the counterfeit condoms over a period of five days. READ MORE>>>

Alibaba to explore blockchain in fight against counterfeit food

Australia Post recently joined an initiative to combat the rise of counterfeit food being sold across China. The company joins Chinese e-commerce juggernaut Alibaba and nutritional supplement maker Blackmores. The project aims to track food from, “paddock to plate.” READ MORE>>>

OPERATIVES of the National Bureau of Investigation Intellectual Property Rights Division recently seized a total P86.5 million worth of counterfeit Nike and Converse shoes in an operation in Pasay City. READ MORE>>>

In recent weeks, the customs department has seized several counterfeit items, destined both abroad and locally, including over 9 million cigarettes and spare parts for vehicles. READ MORE>>>

A man and a woman have been given suspended prison sentences after helping to run a fake designer clothing factory in Leicester. Trading standards officers found hundreds of items of clothing, for brands such as Adidas, Nike and Superdry, at the factory in Spinney Hills. READ MORE>>>

New Delhi: The usage of counterfeit auto components has gone down drastically in the last seven years while their place has been taken over by unorganised players, said a study by Automotive Component Manufacturers Association of India (ACMA). READ MORE>>>

New Delhi: The usage of counterfeit auto components has gone down drastically in the last seven years while their place has been taken over by unorganised players, said a study by Automotive Component Manufacturers Association of India (ACMA). READ MORE>>>

  • By Tracy Bloom, March 23, 2017, KLTA5

More than 40,000 counterfeit condoms were confiscated over a five-day period by United States federal agencies in Puerto Rico, U.S. Customs and Border Protection announced Thursday. READ MORE>>>

  • By Jeff Tavss, March 23, 2017, Local 10

More than 40,000 counterfeit condoms were confiscated over a five-day period by United States federal agencies in Puerto Rico, U.S. Customs and Border Protection announced Thursday. READ MORE>>>

Federal authorities in Puerto Rico said they have seized more than 40,000 counterfeit condoms that allegedly came from China. US Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) said it could not provide further details because the investigation is ongoing. READ MORE>>>

  • By Staff Writer, March 22, 2017, WHEC

If you were waiting on a pair of cheap headphones for your iPhone, we got bad news for you. Customs and Border Protection agents say they seized hundreds of fake Apple products at the Peace Bridge in Buffalo. READ MORE>>>

  • By EU Reporter Correspondent, March 21, 2017, EU Reporter

On Tap Europe: Organized Crime and Illicit Trade in Tobacco, Alcohol and Pharmaceuticals’ is a major report examining the scale of illicit trade, and the methods of the organized crime groups who dominate it.

The first study of its kind, this report incorporates operational research with law enforcement agencies across the EU. Written by RUSI Research Fellow Clare Ellis, the report describes how “illicit trade is the epitome of modern organized crime”, with groups directly reflecting legitimate business practices; responding to market opportunities, diversifying their activities, and capitalising on new technologies. READ MORE>>>

Counterfeit rolling bearings are a growing industry issue. To the untrained eye, replica products are increasingly difficult to distinguish from genuine OEM bearings, which means that ever-more users are suffering from the consequences of using counterfeits. A case in point is highlighted at the Technical University of Dortmund (TU Dortmund), which was recently tasked with conducting research into enhancing the distillation process (the purification of liquids through repeated heating and cooling). The project was undertaken in close co-operation with a well-known Chinese university, which already had experience of the process. TU Dortmund’s Chinese partners built the pilot plant for the project but, when it arrived in Germany, a number of unexpected problems soon became evident.-Image1.jpeg – Scrutinise the quality of individual bearing components to distinguish between original and counterfeit bearings. READ MORE>>>

  • By Staff, March 20, 2017, ABC 13
HOUSTON (KTRK) — Do you have a jersey of your favorite athlete? Could you tell the difference between an authentic version or a knockoff? READ MORE>>>

A consignment found to be carrying a substantial number of counterfeit ‘Timberland’ shoes has led the courts to order their destruction within a period of 90 days. READ MORE>>>

Melbourne schoolgirl Brooklyn McDonald got a nasty surprise when her Samsung Galaxy S4 exploded on her lap on her way to school. READ MORE>>>

In this interactive series, we invite our readers to send in questions to select public figures. Answers will be published in the next print and online editions. This week, Kenya Association of Manufacturers chief executive Phyllis Wakiaga responds to your questions. READ MORE>>>

  • By Adam Najberg, March 18, 2017, Alizila

Alibaba Group said Saturday an article about its intellectual property protection in The New York Times lacked crucial information and details provided by the company. READ MORE>>>

MANILA, Philippines – The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Philippine National Police (PNP) have joined forces to combat the proliferation of counterfeit, unregistered, adulterated and misbranded drugs, food, cosmetics and health products in the market. READ MORE>>>

Yet another new counterfeit United States stamp surfaced in early March, from the same source who alerted Linn’s about the counterfeit 2015 Love stamps reported on Linns.com Feb. 10. READ MORE>>>

The move by Insurance Australia Group means “we are a step closer to safer roads, safer cars, better repairs and the best in quality parts for Australian drivers,” Federal Chamber of Automotive Industries Tony Weber says. READ MORE>>>

Pennsylvania’s iconic Zippo lighter factory has laid off 38 workers, blaming a slowdown in the company’s North American business and a glut of inventory in China. READ MORE>>>

RM24,718 worth of fake Adidas sneakers, Fipper slippers seized

A Burnley man has received a suspended sentence for handling large quantities of illegal tobacco. KUCHING: The State Domestic Trade, Co-operatives and Consumerism Ministry seized RM24,718 worth of Adidas sneakers and Fipper slippers believed to be counterfeit goods during a raid in Batu Kawa yesterday. READ MORE>>>

Officials in Taiwan say fake Crestor used Chinese ingredients

After a counterfeiting incident caused AstraZeneca to recall its big-selling cholesterol drug Crestor in Taiwan, the country’s officials have said that the fakes used an ingredient sourced from China. READ MORE>>>

  • By Laxmi Yadav, March 14, 2017, 2BR

A Burnley man has received a suspended sentence for handling large quantities of illegal tobacco. READ MORE>>>

Even as about eight months are left for the implementation of second phase of US Drug Supply Chain Security Act (DSCSA), 50 per cent of Indian pharma companies are still not prepared to comply with pharmaceutical serialization regulation and traceability. READ MORE>>>

Dairy consumption in Russia is steadily declining due to lower consumer spending power and the growing share of counterfeit products in the domestic market, says a new report. READ MORE>>>

EUROPE: The European Pallet Association has announced that it is to terminate with effect from May 1 an agreement enabling the unrestricted exchangeability of EPAL Euro pallets with UIC/EUR pallets signed in October 2014. READ MORE>>>

Pharmacies in seven townships in the Mandalay district area found to be selling unlicensed and expired drugs will face severe action, including the closure of their stores, under a proposal submitted by the Food and Drug Administration (Mandalay branch) to the Mandalay regional government. READ MORE>>>

The Dubai Economic Department (DED) has been very active over the years in cracking down on the sales of counterfeit goods and this has had an effect. The supposed tourist attraction in Karama, where people could buy branded watches, handbags and T-shirts for a fraction of the prices offered at the legitimate outlets, is often deserted nowadays. But the skilled salesmen, with their large stocks of lookalike goods apparently branded with some of the retail world’s most distinguished names, have taken to social media to continue to ply their trade. READ MORE>>>

Online shopping is not an area beyond the law, Zhang Mao, head of China’s State Administration of Industry & Commerce told press on Mar. 5, pledging that China will step up the protection of customer rights, regulate the market order and specify the primary responsibility of online platforms. READ MORE>>>

Ivorian authorities have burnt 50 tonnes of counterfeit medicines, estimated at more than a million euros. Fake paracetamol, antibiotics, vitamins, and drugs to improve sexual performance were dumped and burnt in a graveyard at Abobo, a popular district of Abidjan. READ MORE>>>

Counterfeit products are big business – fake Rolex watches, Gucci handbags and Prada shoes can be found easily worldwide. And golf has now been engulfed by the issue. READ MORE>>>

I began practicing law in New York City back in 1991, when I joined the Simpson Thacher & Bartlett. It was, in many ways, a fantastic experience, exposing me to some of the country’s best lawyers and providing a great training ground. READ MORE>>>

HÀ NỘI — Vietnamese authorities discovered and solved hundreds of thousands cases of smuggling, trade fraud and counterfeiting in 2016, the National Steering Committee for the Prevention and Control of Smuggling, Trade Fraud and Fake Commodities reported at an online conference on Thursday.  READ MORE>>>

TAIPEI, Taiwan — The Ministry of Health and Welfare said Thursday that the controversial ingredients in Taiwan’s latest counterfeit drug scandal had come from mainland China. READ MORE>>>

European authorities with help from agencies in Spain, Portugal and Greece have broken up a slippery gang network that are alleged to have smuggled over 10 tonnes of eel from the European Union over to China. READ MORE>>>

  • By BRINK Editorial Staff, March 9, 2017, Brink

Counterfeit and pirated goods cost the global economy as much as $461 billion a year, according to a recent report. That equates to 2.5 percent of world trade or the entire annual economic output of Austria.  READ MORE>>>

The smartphone industry lost €45.3 billion and sold 184 million less cell phones in 2015 due to the parallel market of counterfeit devices, a report by the European Union Intellectual Property Office (Euipo) showed. READ MORE>>>

CRANSTON, R.I. — The police seized $20,000 worth of counterfeit Nike, Louis Vuitton, Prada and other brand-name merchandise Tuesday from a Park Avenue store and arrested the owner, they said. READ MORE>>>

As the secondary sneaker market’s estimated value surges past $1.2 billion, fake shoes are becoming more prevalent than ever. And while there are no designs safe from receiving the counterfeit treatment, the most abundant replicas tend to be in-demand pairs such as Yeezys.READ MORE>>>

AstraZeneca has launched a nationwide recall of its cholesterol-lowering drug Crestor in Taiwan after counterfeits were found in the supply chain. READ MORE>>>

The growing threat of counterfeit pesticides coming out of Europe will see police and other bodies step up their campaign to keep Scotland free of these dangerous fakes. READ MORE>>>

Public Health: Counterfeit Prescription Pills Pose Risk of Overdose

KFL&A Public Health has issued an alert to warn residents about fentanyl contaminated counterfeit prescription medications and illicit drugs found in the KFL&A region. READ MORE>>>

Crackdown on fake sports products in Saudi Arabia

JEDDAH: Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Commerce and Investment said it is implementing stricter measures to curb the spread of counterfeit products, and has already launched a crackdown on fake sporting goods. READ MORE>>>

10 people under probe for alleged involvement in counterfeit drug case

  • By Sunrise Huang and Elizabeth Hsu, March 5, 2017, Focus Taiwan

Taipei, March 5 (CNA) New Taipei district prosecutors have found 10 persons likely involving in the manufacture and sale of a counterfeit lipid-lowering drug, Crestor, in Taiwan after launching a raid to a factory and warehouse in Xizhi District on Sunday. READ MORE>>>

Man in Kansas City Pleads Guilty to Software Piracy Scheme

Kansas City, MO – infoZine – David Reece, 47, of Fort Lauderdale, waived his right to a grand jury and pleaded guilty before U.S. Chief District Judge Greg Kays to a federal information that charges him with conspiracy. READ MORE>>>

Hong Kong Customs combats sale of counterfeit jewellery

Hong Kong (HKSAR) –  Hong Kong Customs took enforcement action in the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre (HKCEC) today (March 4) and seized about 200 pieces of suspected counterfeit jewellery. READ MORE>>>

Man Stored Over $1 Million Worth of Counterfeit The North Face Jackets: DA

OLD BETHPAGE, NY – A Jericho man was arrested for allegedly storing and selling tens of thousands of counterfeit The North Face jackets found in an Old Bethpage warehouse on Thursday, according to the Nassau County District Attorney’s Office. READ MORE>>>

Gov’t toughens stance on fake tax stamps

If found guilty of using fake tax stamps, cigarette manufacturer Mighty Corp. must pay up, Finance Secretary Carlos G. Dominguez III said. Asked what the Department of Finance was planning to do following reports of massive confiscation of Mighty products bearing counterfeit tax stamps, Dominguez said “we have to look at the findings of the Bureau of Internal Revenue first, and we want them to pay.” READ MORE>>>

Wanted: Pharma super cops

Police are warning farmers in Scotland to stay vigilant for illegal and counterfeit pesticides.A campaign is being run as part of a European-wide initiative, co-ordinated by Europol, against the trade – often run by organised criminal gangs. READ MORE>>>

Watch out for illegal pesticides, farmers warned

Police are warning farmers in Scotland to stay vigilant for illegal and counterfeit pesticides.A campaign is being run as part of a European-wide initiative, co-ordinated by Europol, against the trade – often run by organised criminal gangs. READ MORE>>>

Seized fake designer clothes donated to poor families in Abu Dhabi

ABU DHABI // Hundreds of items of fake designer clothes and shoes seized by authorities as part of a clampdown on counterfeit goods have been donated to poor families. READ MORE>>>

Big haul of fake tax stamps

  • By Ben O. de Vera, Tonette Orejas, March 1, 2017, Inquirer.net

Joint operations of the bureaus of Customs and of Internal Revenue on Wednesday yielded a total of 23.2 million packs of cigarettes reportedly manufactured by homegrown manufacturer Mighty Corp. that bore fake tax stamps, depriving the government of some P696 million in unpaid taxes. READ MORE>>>

Department Of Homeland Security Offers Tips To Avoid Buying Counterfeit Merchandise

With an increase in purchases online, NBC 7 Investigates took a look at popular items sold online and found counterfeit Hatchimals, one of the hottest-selling toys, and Oakley sunglasses being sold at a fraction of the price as their authentic counterparts. READ MORE>>>