The Keelung Customs Bureau Seized Counterfeit Assembly Robot Toys Bearing the Transformers Trademark.

As TRANSFORMERS is a blockbuster film of the year, the film’s related toys are also in great demand.  On 29 September, the Keelung Customs Office seized and uncovered 27 boxes, or a total of 11,540 pieces, of assembly robot toys infringing upon the TRANSFORMERS trademark.  The market value of the subject seized goods is around NTD1.71 million and the case is pending investigation.

Recently upon inspecting a batch of imported plastic toys from China, the Keelung Customs Office uncovered 27 boxes containing 11,540 pieces of assembly robot toys in question with alleged infringement of the TRANSFORMERS trademark.  The uncovered and seized counterfeits have a market value in an amount around NTD1.71 million.

The Customs Office indicated that during the process of inspecting the batch of goods in issue, the examiner uncovered on the packages of the suspected counterfeits bearing the mark of TRANSFORMERS.  Pursuant to the operation procedures of the Operational Directions for Customs Authorities in Implementing Measures for Protecting the Rights and Interests of Patent, Trademark and Copyright, the Keelung Customs Office notified the mark right holder for verification of the subject goods.  According to the mark holder’s assessment, the goods are confirmed to be counterfeits.  By operation of Article 30-1 of the Customs Anti-smuggling Act, a penalty with a fine equivalent to one to three times the value of the cargoes will be imposed on the suspected infringer(s), and the cargoes shall be confiscated.  The subject case will be referred to the competent judicial authority for further investigations into the alleged violations of Trademark Act.

In the meantime, the Customs Office indicated that in order to strengthen the customs officers’ abilities in discerning counterfeits and combating activities involving counterfeit products, seminars are held at the Office by inviting well-known trademark right holders or their respective agents to give presentation on the concerned issues.  Such events not only upgrade customs officers’ abilities in fighting against counterfeits but also promote Taiwan’s national image.  The success of uncovering and seizing the counterfeit TRANSFORMERS robot toys in this case can be deemed as a fruitful result of holding these seminars.  (2009.09)
/DC