Unlike crimes such as murders and robberies, which grab the headlines, counterfeiting is far less publicised, as it is commonly perceived as a victimless crime.
However, counterfeiting is not only one of the largest and most profitable illicit businesses in the world; it is also one of the potentially most dangerous, given its reported links to organised crime and terrorism. The World Customs Organization estimates the international sale of counterfeit goods at $600 billion, which represents 5 to 7 percent of total world trade.
Intellectual property (IP) rights owners are forced to invest significant sums of money to fight against counterfeiting which, if unchallenged, can have a negative impact on the revenue of a business and ultimately jeopardise the viability of a brand.
In Jamaica, illicit CDs and DVDs are readily available and are displayed for sale as a matter of course in major cities and towns. The proliferation of fake designer perfumes, handbags and other articles of clothing is testament to the fact that counterfeiting is a significant problem. The cost-conscious consumer is happy to purchase these ‘designer’ items at far less than half the price of the genuine articles.
The rest of this article is locked for subscribers only. Please login to continue reading.
If you don't have a login, you will need to purchase a subscription to gain access to this article, including all our online content. Please use this link and follow the steps.
For multi-user price options, or to check if your company has an existing subscription to us that we can add you to for FREE, please email Atif Choudhury at achoudhury@worldipreview.com
Counterfeiting, passing off, Jamaican Copyright Act, customs
