Seizures and discoveries last week include one by US Immigration and Customs Enforcement special agents yielding $5 million worth of counterfeit goods… Also in the US, Customs and Border Protection officers discovered over 18,000 pairs of fake Nike trainers inside two containers originating from China… Taiwan customs officials seized 1,000 counterfeit brake pads bearing brands including Audi and Honda… Health authorities in Sierra Leone seized a container filled with fake toothpaste contaminated with a toxic substance, similar toothpaste caused health scares in a number of countries last year.

Cases and outcomes last week include Adidas being awarded nearly $305 million in a trademark infringement case against Payless ShoeSource Inc… The Motion Picture Association of America has won an injunction to the tune of $110 million against TorrentSpy for facilitating the distribution of pirated video content.

Policy developments last week include new legislation being proposed in the US state of New York that will reduce film piracy through expanded enforcement and tougher penalties for offenders.

Studies and reports out last week include one by leading medical journal The Lancet that discusses the growing problem of counterfeit pharmaceuticals, stating that between 2000 and 2006 the US Food and Drug Administration saw an 800% increase in the number of new counterfeit cases… According to the estimate of software manufacturers, software piracy in Azerbaijan accounts for approximately 95% of the market.