Counterfeiting and piracy harm society in many ways that are not easily understood. The production of counterfeit and pirated goods, being an illegal and illicit trade does not need to abide by work or labour laws. This can lead to the use of child labour and the exploitation of workers to the financial gain of the counterfeiters.
This page is a special summary of cases that reveal the cost to society that counterfeiting and piracy can cause. Each reference has been extracted directly from a story archived in the BASCAP Case Study Database. For further research, the full article can be found by clicking on the associated endnote.

The hidden danger behind counterfeit DVD gangs - UK, 26 April 2008

• A first hand account of life as a counterfeit DVD vendor reported recently by the Guardian news paper has shone further light on the methods of the organised gangs behind them; 791

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Illegal downloader’s may lose internet access - 20 February 2008

• The UK government is considering plans to ban those caught illegally downloading media files from the internet; 775

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Perilous Pesticides - 1 February 2008

• In February last year, a counterfeit herbicide used in Italy was found to contain quantities of a potentially dangerous insecticide. In 2004, hundreds of hectares of wheat were wiped out in France, Italy and Spain because of a fake herbicide; 752

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Christine Levinson plans to visit Iran with hope of finding her husband – Iran, 18 December 2007

• Robert Levinson has been missing since March 2007 after travelling to the Iranian resort Kish from Dubai to investigate cigarette counterfeiting and smuggling; 743

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Fake CDs sold in markets funded human trafficking - UK, 1 November 2007

• A BBC undercover team that spent a year investigating the Chinese counterfeiting trade in Britain has discovered that fake DVDs sold at markets in Kent are helping to fund illegal immigration and people smuggling; 673

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Koreans ran fakes factory - USA, 1 November 2007

• New York police who raided a factory last month arrested 11 workers, including a 16-year-old Mexican girl who spent 10 hours a day sewing labels onto knockoff NFL, Polo, Izod and FUBU clothing for $50 a day; 674

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Interpol Secretary General speaks out against piracy – 13 September 2007

• Ronald K. Noble the secretary general of Interpol, in a speech to the House of Representatives, spoke of the lesser known link between the trade in counterfeit goods and international terrorism; 725

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Crop failure sparks nationwide swoop on fake fertiliser - Bangladesh, 1 March 2007.

• Fake fertiliser that is widely available in rural markets is responsible for jute, rice and vegetables withering and dying soon after it has been applied, causing a great deal of hardship among local farmers; 642

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Russia bans Georgian wine after counterfeiting fears - Georgia, 1 May 2006.

• Russia has banned Georgian wine, mineral water and other goods from entering the country after counterfeiting fears. The action has a potentially devastating blow to Georgian producers; 12.

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Criminal gangs exploiting children as young as 11 and 12 - UK, 1 January 2006

• Police have confirmed that organised criminal gangs are exploiting children as young as 11 or 12 in several Scottish cities by making them sell counterfeit CDs, DVDs and games on street corners and in street markets; 61.

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The use of child labour in the world of Counterfeiting - 1 June 2005

• Some investigators have even testified to having seen children in counterfeiting factories in China who have had their legs broken and improperly reset so that they cannot leave or go out on the streets to play; 141.

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Revealing the true face of DVD piracy – UK, 1 January 2005

• A collection of case studies and general information compiled by the Industry Trust for IP Awareness; 508.

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Fake leather goods cost companies US$1.5 billion each year in Italy – Italy, 1 November 2000

• The counterfeits are being produced at one end of the scale by immigrants in sweatshops and at the other end by skilled craftsmen who work for the big fashion houses but who are making extra goods to put onto the black market.; 396.

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Growing number of child workers involved in counterfeiting in Italy – Italy, 1 February 1998

• For those who believe that child labour is a feature of developing countries, it comes as something of a shock that Italy has an estimated 300,000 child workers; 375.

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Child labour – the unacceptable face of counterfeiting – India, 1 January 1997

• The unscrupulous nature of many counterfeiters mean that child labour is also a target for exploitation. There have been all too many examples of counterfeiters employing children to work long hours in poor and often hazardous conditions for a pittance; 368.

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Sweatshop labour increase fuels fears over counterfeiting – UK, 1February 1996

• The recent allegations that Marks and Spencer’s sub contractor may have been using underpaid child labour in Morocco to make garments has led to attention being focused on sweat shop labour in the UK; 360.

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Juveniles used as foot soldiers by organised crime gangs in Hong Kong – China, 1 February 1995

• According to Don Watson the Commissioner of Customs and Excise, there is growing evidence that juveniles are being used more and more byorganised crime gangs involved in narcotics and pirate compact discs; 364.