The physical and online risks from IP (intellectual property) theft are set out in the latest annual report on IP crime.
The report covers counterfeiting of products and piracy. It points to a growing threat from social media that is being challenged by the Anti-Counterfeiting Group and their partners in initiatives such as Operation Jasper; the work of the Police IP Crime Unit with national and local partners to fight online crime. Domains are being seized, advertising is being blocked and criminals are being arrested in ever greater numbers, says Baroness Neville-Rolfe, the Minister for intellectual property. FACT (the Federation Against Copyright Theft) is investigating illegal access to subscription pay TV services such as those offered by BT Sport, Sky and Virgin Media.
The minister hailed what she termed a ground breaking agreement between the China-Britain Business Council and Alibaba Group, the online firm, to bring more action against online vendors of counterfeit goods. She said: “However, there is more to do. By its very nature, IP crime is challenging to detect and to counter. It is also highly adaptable and moves rapidly to take advantage of vulnerabilities in technology, legal frameworks and financial systems.”
Sussex Chief Constable Giles York said: “Border Force detentions removed over 1.6 million infringing items with a retail value of more than £56 million – activity indicating just how harmful IP Crime is to the UK economy. In just a few weeks, an inter-agency operation into an emerging trend, in which criminals exploit social media channels to sell counterfeit and dangerous goods, took down 4,300 Facebook listings and 20 Facebook profiles. The Police Intellectual Property Crime Unit has diverted 11 million views of pirate websites to an official police warning page and seized counterfeit goods worth £3m.”
For the report in full visit https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/461792/ip-crime-report-2014-15.pdf.
Photo courtesy of the Home Office; seized counterfeit toys.
