Seizures and discoveries last week include one in the US yielding, among other items, 20,000 pairs of counterfeit Nike trainers and fake Louis Vuitton handbags worth approximately $25 million. Authorities believe the counterfeiting ring has links with China… Seizures of pirated DVDs and CDs took place in a number of countries including Hong Kong, South Africa and the UK… Fake drinking water has been seized in India after a consumer found a dead mosquito in a sealed bottle.

Policy developments last week include the UAE endorsing stiffer penalties on companies and agencies importing fake medicines which could cause cancer… In the UK a campaign has been launched to increase public awareness of the health risks associated with smoking counterfeit cigarettes… The same week the EU urged China to step up border controls during the Beijing Olympics to stop counterfeit goods, China announced its approval of the guidelines for a national strategy of IP rights.

Studies and reports out last week include one showing that during 2007, Czech customs officers seized 1.88 million fake products… A report from China states that the number of trademarks registered in the country surpassed 3 million by the end of 2007, also during the year some 75.69 million pirated products were confiscated… Similarly in China during 2007, 4,322 people were convicted of product piracy… A report from Russia states that during 2007 there had been a 15% decrease in piracy.