Seizures and discoveries last week include 1500 fake luxury handbags and the arrest of seven people in the US… In Nigeria and Uganda large consignments of counterfeit pharmaceuticals were seized… In the UK, trading standards officers impounded a lorry load of potentially toxic counterfeit Nescafe Coffee… In China, a drug injection has been banned after causing the deaths of three patients.

Cases and outcomes last week include a doctor in the UK, nicknamed the “King of Viagra”, pleading guilty to being part of a global conspiracy to sell thousands of counterfeit pharmaceuticals to unsuspecting consumers… Ringleaders of a massive DVD piracy ring could face prison after running an operation yielding up to £500,000 a week.

Policy developments last week include the Indian government planning to impose imprisonment of at least 10 years for those caught selling or manufacturing spurious drugs… In Rwanda, the Senate has approved a bill on the protection of Intellectual Property Rights… Similarly in New Zealand, the government is preparing new anti-piracy legislation.

Studies and reports out last week include the US Customs and Border Protection releasing figures showing that in the last year in the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach alone, $71.4 million worth of fake goods were seized.