KARACHI: Under the supervision of Director General Intellectual Properties Rights Enforcement (IPRE) Rubab Sikander, the Directorate intensified its anti-counterfeit drive by carrying out risk analysis and made cases worth millions.
Sources said that M/s King Star Traders and M/s MF Enterprises imported consignments of miscellaneous items from China.
General complaint was received from Swiss Federation of watches regarding import of counterfeit Swiss watches through various ports of Pakistan. Resultantly Directorate of IPRE South increased its vigilance for the import of counterfeit watches.
Later, M/S Brand Protection System Pvt. Ltd, and M/S Osiris, the right-holders in the instant case as well as right holders of all Swiss brands represented by Swiss Federation of Watches, filed enforcement applications and bank guarantee against the infringing goods on the ground that these are deceptively similar trademark goods, i.e., completely identical to the original, not mandated by the right-holder either for third party-manufacturing in China, or import by the owner of the goods.
The GDs of M/s King Star Traders and M/s MF Enterprises were put on hold, and examination was conducted by the staff of IPRE South.
During the examination, the representatives of importers manhandled the customs staff and tried to flee with the record of IPRE files.
It was found the importers had imported calculators of Citizen brand, counterfeit Swiss origin watches of Rado, Rolex, Patek Philippe, Frank Muller, Omega and others like Emporio Armani, Fossil, Casio, citizen, Ben-10, Barbie, Hello Kitty, CK. Counterfeit batteries of Sony and power chargers of UL were also recovered.
These items are described as deceptively similar to the originals, thus infringed and considered counterfeit. The infringing goods essentially, bearing various marks as well as the trade description Made in China.
Therefore, IPRE South has ordered to confiscate and forfeit the imported goods in favor of the government of Pakistan.
