If it looks and sounds too good to be true, then U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement “ICE” will check it out and possibly shut it down. As part of “Operation in Our Sites,” ICE served orders seizing 18 domain names of websites selling counterfeit goods over the Internet. Launched in June 2010, "Operation in Our Sites" targets Internet counterfeiting and piracy of items such as movies, music, pharmaceuticals, software, electronics and games. As part of “Operation Broken Hearted,” the fourth phase of this initiative, Federal law enforcement officials purchased made undercover purchases from suspected online merchants. The purchases netted counterfeit jewelry, handbags, sunglasses and wallets representing brand names such as Burberry, Chanel, Coach, Gucci, Louis Vuitton, Nike, Rolex and Timberland. Click HERE to view a list of websites seized and additional information about “Operation Broken Hearted.”
Most of the goods were shipped directly to the U.S. from other countries using international express mail. Once the goods were confirmed to be counterfeit, seizure orders were obtained. When accessing these websites now, users will see a banner notifying them that the website/domain has been seized by federal authorities. ICE Director John Morton stated, "These counterfeits represent a triple threat by delivering shoddy, and sometimes dangerous, goods into commerce, by funding organized criminal activities and by denying Americans good-paying jobs. HSI and our partners at the IPR Center will continue to work together to keep counterfeit products off our streets."
Protection of intellectual property encourages creativity that is essential to continued growth and success of the U.S. economy. Without protection, companies and individuals may not be as willing to invest the time and money necessary to develop new products that enhance, and in many cases, save our lives. Without proper enforcement, manufacturers may produce lower cost inferior goods by violating the trademark, copyright and patent laws. Some of these inferior goods such as pharmaceuticals could be hazardous to consumer’s health because they are not manufactured under the same regulations and processes as the patented or trademarked goods.
The IPR Center and the Department of Justice Task Force on Intellectual property (IP Task Force) work to eliminate the growth of intellectual property violations. They encourage involvement from the holders of IPR to assist them in the fight against this growing problem. To learn more about these efforts, visit the IPR Center at http://www.ice.gov/iprcenter/
Stay tuned as we eagerly await news of more seizures by ICE agents in the next phase of “Operation in Our Sites.”
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