Cablegate: Police Confiscate About Euros 20 Million in Fake

VZCZCXYZ0007
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHMD #0767 1961623
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 141623Z JUL 08
FM AMEMBASSY MADRID
TO SECSTATE WASHDC 5079

UNCLAS MADRID 000767

SIPDIS

STATE FOR EEB/IPE (JURBAN)
STATE PASS USTR (CWILSON)
STATE PASS COMMERCE (DCALVERT)
STATE PASS USPTO (MSHAPIRO)
STATE PASS U.S. COPYRIGHT OFFICE (SKELTON)

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ECON ETRD KIPR SP
SUBJECT: POLICE CONFISCATE ABOUT EUROS 20 MILLION IN FAKE
PRODUCTS

1. (U) On June 25, the Spanish National Police (SNP) arrested
four individuals based in Barcelona and Valencia. The police
suspect the four arrestees of trafficking in fake shirts,
pants, belts, watches and eyewear, principally made in China,
although some of the merchandise also came from India. The
police confiscated goods with an approximate market value of
euros 20 million. The head of the suspected group is of
Indian origin; other participants include individuals of
Chinese and Spanish nationality.

2. (U) Comment: These arrests demonstrate once again that the
Spanish police force is very active against Intellectual
Property Rights (IPR) piracy. Trademark violations are
fairly common in Spain, although U.S. trademark owners have
not asked the Embassy for help in recent years. American IPR
concerns are mostly in the copyright area.
Aguirre

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