Just like physical property, intellectual property (IP) can be stolen. In the UK IP crime is committed when products are copied and/or marketed for profit without the consent of the rights holder. This is a double-edged crime, as it also defrauds and threatens the consumer.

IP crime can be committed in different ways: counterfeiting affects branded goods (protected by trade marks) such as clothing and footwear and pharmaceuticals, and copyright theft affects other industries producing music, film, books, computer games and software (protected by copyright). The two kinds of protection can often overlap, with both trade marks and copyrights involved in a given product e.g. software.

Link to What is product counterfeiting?



ENFORCING THE LAW AGAINST FAKES

ACG members work closely with law enforcement to help identify fake goods and carry out raids, seizures and prosecutions.

In the UK, HM Revenue & Customs is responsible for intercepting counterfeits at the frontiers - at ports, airports and the postal hub at Coventry.  The new UK Border Agency will bring together immigration, VAT and trade controls at the frontiers and will in future act on behalf of Customs to enforce ACG members' rights.

Link to UK Border Agency

Trading standards enforce the criminal trade mark laws within our borders.  Every local authority has a trading standards department, which is also responsible for enforcing many other laws relating to health, safety, weights & measures and consumer protection. 

Link to TSI website

The police are becoming increasingly involved in fighting IP crime, partly because it links to so many other kinds of crime.  The increasing level of threat means that the Serious Organised Crime Agency includes IP crime in the annual UK Threat Assessment.

Link to SOCA
Link to UK Threat Assessment 2008/9 (see p46 onwards)

For more information about IP rights, and related IP crime work, visit the Intellectual Property Office website and read IP Insight, its newsletter.

Link to Intellectual Property Office
Link to IP Crime page on IPO website

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Link to IP Insight