Mexico: forged alcohol beverages receive more than a hangover

The Federal Criminal Process Judge of the Second District Court in charge of the criminal case 185/2008-II, sentenced two individuals for committing the crime of forgery of trade marks with three years imprisonment. According to the Mexican Industrial Property Act (reformed and published in 1999) and in accordance with the provisions of Article 223 Sections II and III counterfeits are crimes.

Combating Counterfeiting of Trade marks in Mexico, has gotten the first conviction obtained for the alcoholic beverage industry in the field of trade mark counterfeiting. BROWN-FORMAN CORPORATION, owner of several trade marks of alcoholic beverages obtained what several sources are calling an ‘historic conviction’ for the alcohol beverage industry in the field of trade mark counterfeiting. The delinquents were forging the marks ‘Herradura’ and ‘El Jimador’ both for tequila and owned by Brown Forman Corp.

This appears to be all over the news in Mexico. See here, here, and here.