Counterfeit production and distribution is a major crime against the intellectual property rights of the trademark holder. And this crime recently affected the popular game and anime title, Pokémon.
Last Wednesday, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) seized 86,400 Pokémon counterfeit action figures. The incident occurred in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania on 4th May, when the officers examined a shipment from Hong Kong, labeled as “plastic furnishing articles.” On further examination, 15 boxes containing Pokemon toy action figures were found.
CBP found out that the shipment was illegal, and the figures were fake after consultation with the trademark holder. The import specialists at CBP estimated the value of the counterfeits (if sold at the retail price of real products) to be $ 603,936. The shipment was immediately seized as it was a violation of property rights.
The parcel was supposed to be delivered to an address in Snyder County, Pennsylvania. Apart from the violation of rights, the CBP officers pointed out the health hazard that the figures could pose to children. The toys were too small and thus a choking hazard for kids.
Moreover, counterfeit toys are mostly painted with paints that have a high level of lead toxicity in them. But these counterfeits have not yet been tested for toxicity.
The importation of illegal and counterfeit materials can not only affect the trademark holder but also the U.S. economy and consumer health. This is why the customs officers have to maintain strict and active control over imported goods.
Daily, CBP has to deal with narcotics, wanted criminals, inadmissible personnel, fraudulent documents, illicit currency, etc. along with counterfeit products.
The People’s Republic of China is the primary source of pirated goods. In the fiscal year(F.Y.) of 2019, 27,599 shipments of counterfeit products were seized. The price of these fakes, if sold as actual products, would be well above a billion dollars.
This business of counterfeits would have equally affected the Pokémon company if the products had caused any harm to the consumers who are mainly children.
About Pokémon
Pokemon, first released in 1996, is set up in a world where humans catch monsters and store them in pocket-sized poke-balls, thus the name Pocket Monsters or Pokemon.
They are creatures with an affinity to certain elements and some superhuman abilities related to that particular element.
Revolving around a teenage boy Ash Ketchum, it takes us through his journey to becoming the most accomplished Pokemon trainer the world has ever seen.
Source: US Customs and Border Protection
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