IPR Center Announces $263 Million in Counterfeit Goods Seized in April 2010
U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement has issued a press release announcing that during an observance of World Intellectual Property Day on April 26, 2010, the federal partners of the National Intellectual Property Rights Coordination Center1 announced that more than $263 million worth of counterfeit merchandise was seized by law enforcement around the U.S. in April 2010.
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“Operation Spring Cleaning” Resulted in 45 Arrests, More Than $44 Million Seized
According to the press release, more than $44 million was seized in "Operation Spring Cleaning," a massive nationwide joint enforcement operation involving federal, state and local partners of the IPR Center. In "Spring Cleaning," 45 persons were arrested on federal and state counterfeiting charges and 703,684 items of counterfeit merchandise were seized in operations in dozens of cities across the U.S., including Seattle, Dallas, Houston, New York, Miami, Detroit and Norfolk, Va. The seized counterfeit merchandise included counterfeit DVDs, circuit breakers, pharmaceuticals, video games and controllers, exercise equipment, sportswear and luxury goods.
Additional $219 Million in Counterfeit Asian Products Seized in April 2010
An additional $219 million was seized in April 2010 as part of a long-term ICE investigation worked with U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) of counterfeit products manufactured in Asia and smuggled through the Port of Baltimore.
22 IP Theft Enforcement Teams Formed
At the event, the IPR Center also announced the formation of 22 IP Theft Enforcement Teams (IPTETs) with 70 federal, state and local law enforcement agencies around the U.S. to join the 10 federal partners of the IPR Center in collaborating on activities to more effectively combat IP theft nationwide.
GSA-OIG, NCIS & DCIS Added to IPR Center
At World Intellectual Property Day, the IPR Center also welcomed three significant new partners to the center - the U.S. General Services Administration, Office of the Inspector General (GSA-OIG), Naval Criminal Investigative Service (NCIS) and the Defense Criminal Investigative Service (DCIS).
1Led by ICE, the IPR Center is a task force comprised of the major U.S. agencies responsible for enforcing laws related to IPR crimes and customs trade fraud, including: CBP; Federal Bureau of Investigation; Food and Drug Administration, Office of Criminal Investigations; U.S. Postal Inspection Service; U.S. Patent and Trademark Office; and Government of Mexico. In addition, the IPR Center works closely with the Department of Justice Cyber Crime and Intellectual Property Section.