5 Rules for Managing China IP Investigation

Phill Arnold, a veteran of 22 years investigation experience (11 of those managing IP cases in Asia) suggests 5 VITAL rules for managing any IP investigation within China. When applied, these rules will bring greater success to your anti-counterfeiting program. Read article

Guangzhou Arrests

A series of investigations conducted against the suspected manufacturer of counterfeit toner cartridges in Guangzhou, China resulted in a successful Police raid in April this year. Counterfeit goods valued at US$1.8m, industrial machinery, office equipment and an Audi motor vehicle were seized. Two men, one of them the factory manager, were arrested and remain in jail awaiting trial. A third male, the owner, escaped to another province in North West China. There is a warrant for his arrest. View Photos and Full Story

Evidence Handling

Proper evidence handling is crucial to making complaints and winning cases against counterfeiters. But have you ever considered that without applying the right procedures for recording, keeping and passing on evidence, YOU may end up being the respondent in a law suit? This short article will give you clear procedures to follow for physical evidence handling. Read more

Chinese Co-Ops and Online Marketing Arrays (Part I & II)

An Online Marketing Array can provide a graphic representation of how a counterfeit syndicate operates. An array may appear to show all the manufacturers, traders and other elements unique to a case but this information alone does not prove any unlawful activity or point to an obvious target. It merely indicates just how complicated China's counterfeit problem is, and how the trade of legitimate and fake products is all rolled into one.. 
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The Complaints Process

The process of submitting complaints to the authorities in China is relatively easy, at least that's what we're led to believe! This article looks at the basic requirements for submitting complaints to the AIC / TSB and Chinese Police. Read Full Article

Surveillance Reports

Brand protection managers should ALWAYS be provided with detailed surveillance reports by their investigators. One day you could both be called up to give evidence in court and not having the sufficient reports on hand could undo months of hard work. Read more

Chinese Co-Ops and Online Marketing Arrays (Part III)

In our September Issue of "IPR On the Ground – China" we discussed how Chinese co-operatives are formed to sell counterfeit goods using the Internet as a marketing platform. Parts I and II showed that if these co-ops can be thoroughly researched and displayed as a map or an "array", you can embark on a very effective dismantling operation by zeroing in on the entities that actually control sales. In Part III we discuss the investigative processes needed to be taken to bring down a medium sized organization which utilizes the Internet to conduct their illicit business. Read more

Training Investigators

There is no licensing system or training facilities available for PI's in China. There are possibly many hundreds of so called investigators conducting inquiries on behalf of foreign brand owners and reputable companies. Are they properly trained? Well yes and no. Read Full Article

Counterfeits in Quebec Link Back to China

Test purchases confirmed that Counterfeit Ink Cartridges were being sold in Quebec. Investigations into the supplier discovered a ghost company in Hong Kong and lead to product seizures worth over $700,00. Read more