Counterfeit Branded Products Sold on Shopping Channels with TWD10 Million Value Involved

The 1st Investigation Corps of the Taiwan Criminal Investigation Division busted a suspect, Huang, who operated a company to sell counterfeit branded products on shopping channels and online platforms.  For covering up his offense, Huang provided a 10-day cooling-off period to attract consumers.  The estimated number of the victims of Huang’s offense is more than 10,000 people. 

Consumers filed a report to the police, indicating that the branded watches and bags bearing BURBERRY, COACH, TISSOT, and PRADA marks they purchased on shopping channels and online platforms seemed to be counterfeit ones because of the rough materials thereof and crooked lines of the letters printed thereon.  Relevant trademark proprietors involved in this matter conducted authenticity examination on these products upon the police’s request and confirmed them to be counterfeit.  Based on the examination result, the police filed a motion with the New Taipei District Court for issuing a search warrant and strengthened police forces to initiate raid action against Huang’s company, thus seizing more than 2,000 counterfeits whose value is estimated to be about more than TWD10 million. 

Huang indicated that the bags he sold came from Hong Kong.  Coated with the prices of genuine products as a cover-up, Huang’s counterfeit products attracted a lot of consumers because of their preferable discounts, by which Huang had gained extravagant profits.  This case against Huang has been referred to the relevant prosecutors office for violating Taiwan Trademark Act.  (April 2015)
/CCS