Seizures and discoveries last week include one in the US where Federal authorities uncovered almost 20,000 counterfeit mobile phones… Spanish police have smashed an organised crime syndicate involved in pirating DVDs and CDs, seizing more than 300,000 discs… Other seizures of pirated DVDs and CDs took place in a number of countries including Australia, South Korea and the US… 6 people in China have died after being injected with medicine suspected to be counterfeit.

Cases and outcomes last week include online auction site eBay being convicted by a French court of selling counterfeit goods and ordered to pay €20,000 in damages to luxury goods group Hermes… A Chinese court has jailed a man for life for supplying a drug maker a fake ingredient that led to the deaths of at least 14 people.

Policy developments last week include a new bill passed by the Congressional Health Commission in Peru that would imprison anyone found selling, storing, packaging or producing adulterated and faulty medicine, for up to 10 years.

Studies and reports last week include one carried out by the European Alliance for Access to Safe Medicines, the survey found that 62 percent of medicines purchased online are fake or substandard. All medicines were delivered without requiring a prescription… A recent survey conducted in Brunei found that 100 percent of the DVDs and VCDs sold there were pirated… The Philippines is reportedly losing P1.7 billion (US$40 million) in taxes every year due to film piracy.