Strong Actions Fight Fakes in the Middle East
Recent raids in the Middle East, supported by ICCE members, e.g. took place in Turkey and the UAE (photo shows skyline of Dubai, UAE)
Our members build strong relationships with local law enforcement agencies with the goal of enabling effective raids and enforcement actions. These actions remove counterfeit products before they can be sold and put unsuspecting customers at risk. Just recently, large quantities of illegal products, such as counterfeit toner cartridges, ink cartridges, and printer ribbons, have been confiscated from markets in the Middle East, with remarkable actions in Turkey and the UAE, among others.
Cooperating closely with ICCE members, Turkish authorities took action against a large-scale producer dealing with counterfeit imaging consumables in the Istanbul area in January 2022. In a vast enforcement action, tens of thousands of illicit items were seized at a warehouse that served as a clandestine site for assembling and trading in fake imaging consumables. This included ready-for-sale cartridges as well as components for assembling further fakes, such as packaging material. The seized items infringed the intellectual property of several ICCE members.
In another raid in Turkey in March 2022, a further cache of counterfeits was seized, protecting local customers as well as intellectual property. The illicit items, including more than 800 fake ink bottles and cartridges, were illegally bearing brands belonging to several ICCE members.
“Working together, ICCE members take resolute action to tackle counterfeiting. This sends out a strong message to the market – we are actively trying to protect and safeguard our valued customers and honest business partners from counterfeit products. These counterfeit products are often harmful, both to hardware and the environment, and ultimately cheat consumers of the quality they are entitled to expect from branded consumables.”
BODO BREDAHL, ANTI-COUNTERFEIT MANAGER EMEAR, EPSON.
Illicit items seized in a recent raid in Turkey showing fakes infringing the intellectual property of an ICCE member (picture courtesy of Epson)
Based on intelligence provided by an ICCE member, Emirati law enforcement authorities foiled a vast operation manufacturing and distributing counterfeit imaging consumables. In late 2021, officials successfully raided a number of residential properties used as counterfeiting sites in the Emirate of Umm Al Quwain. There, they seized more than one million illicit items – an astounding amount to take out of the market.
Confiscating this huge number of fake imaging consumables and components infringing brands of several ICCE members, authorities in the UAE have dealt a strong blow against illegal trade. Learn more about how ICCE works together with law enforcement to protect intellectual property rights at icce.net/law.
Illicit items seized in a raid in the UAE, infringing the intellectual property of two ICCE members (pictures courtesy of HP)
ICCE Member Tackles Fraudulent Brick-and-Mortar Stores
Targeting local retailers and brick-and-mortar stores that sell counterfeit imaging consumables, an ICCE member also launched a dedicated initiative in Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE in the second half of 2021 and early 2022. As part of this, more than 50 trading companies received targeted cease-and-desist letters.
Dedicated follow-up activities confirmed that most of the stores receiving the letters refrained from selling counterfeits again, proving the initiative to be effective.
“Such initiatives help us to further push back trade in counterfeits – and it perfectly complements the strong cooperation with law enforcement of ICCE members. We will continue to take action against fraud, to protect local customers and businesses.”
GLENN JONES, DIRECTOR OF HP’S GLOBAL ANTI-COUNTERFEITING PROGRAM.
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About ICCE
The Imaging Consumables Coalition of Europe, Middle East, and Africa (ICCE) was formed in 1997 as a direct response to the increase in counterfeit imaging consumables across the regions of Europe, Middle East, and Africa. Imaging consumables include such products as toners, ink cartridges and ribbons. Initially created as an industry association with a focus on education, lobbying, information exchange, and awareness, it has since developed to include coordinating the role of receiving and processing intelligence information on counterfeiters, initiating joint industry raids and enforcement activities, and helping its members to target counterfeiters through the criminal and civil courts.
Members of the organisation include some of the world’s leading imaging and printing companies: Brother, Canon, Epson, HP Inc, Kyocera, Lexmark, Ricoh, and Xerox.
