Counterfeits: not just CDs and DVDs

This month the National Council to Combat Piracy and Crimes against Intellectual Property (CNCP) has reported that the last past 6 years, the value of seizures of counterfeit and smuggled products has tripled.

In 2011, the government's projection is that the values of the seizures will hit record R$ 1.7 billion, about 30% more than in 2010. The items that have been seized the most during the year are CDs, DVDs, cigarettes, sunglasses, watches, shoes and handbags. The government estimates that if such illegal practice was abolished in Brazil, the country would raise around R$ 30 billion and would generate more than 2 million jobs. Luiz Paulo Barreto, executive secretary for the Ministry of Justice said that the increase in seizures is due to border operations. He also added that “"It's a mistake to think that piracy is only restricted to CDs and DVDs” explaining that piracy is linked to organized crime and, it has become more sophisticated. According to the report, in the last three years, the number of medicines seized increased from 322 thousand to 18 million. The most commonly found are those for erectile dysfunction, anabolic steroids and anti-obesity treatment.

Source noticias terra.