Seizures and discoveries last week include HM Revenue and Customs officers in the UK impounding 500,000 counterfeit cigarettes… Over $4 million worth of assorted counterfeit goods were seized in the US resulting in two arrests… Similarly in Australia, $5 million worth of counterfeit clothing was confiscated… Large seizures of pirated DVDs and CDs have also taken place at a number of locations across the US.

Cases and outcomes last week include a company in South Africa, Musica, being found guilty of trading in counterfeit goods, the magistrate at Pretoria’s Specialised Commercial Crime Court found that Musica was negligent and failed to take all reasonable steps to avoid engaging in the sale of counterfeit goods… In the Netherlands anti-piracy group BREIN has won a number of judgements against ISPs forcing them to shut-down Torrent tracking websites.

Policy developments last week include the UAE Ministry of Economy and the Brand Owners Protection Group for the GCC and Yemen signing a memorandum of understanding to protect intellectual property rights in the region… In the Philippines the National Committee on Intellectual Property Rights has been created that will enforce and protect IPRs and prosecute counterfeiters in the country.

Studies and reports out last week include the second annual Consumer Home Piracy Market Research by Futuresource Consulting. It found that one in three Americans and Britons make unauthorised copies of DVDs, an increase from last year when the same study showed one in four.