Xiamen Province, PRC – The U.S. Golf Manufacturers Anti-Counterfeiting Working Group (comprised of Acushnet Company, Callaway Golf, Cleveland Golf, Nike Golf, PING and TaylorMade Golf Company) reports that on August 25 the Economic Inspection Team of the Technical Standards Bureau ("TSB") conducted simultaneous raids on four suspected counterfeit golf club factories in Tongan District, Xiamen, Fujian Province.
The successful series of TSB raids resulted in the seizure of more than 3000 counterfeit items including golf clubs, unassembled components such as shafts and club heads, as well as molds to make the counterfeit products. The seized goods were illegal copies of products made by all six of the Group’s members. Chinese authorities stated that the value of the seized goods is estimated at Chinese RMB 1.4 million (approximately $152,000).
This enforcement action was conducted after a complaint was filed with the TSB, a civil enforcement authority in the People’s Republic of China, by the U.S. Golf Equipment Manufacturers Anti-Counterfeiting Working Group ("Group").
The Group was formed to petition governments to enforce their country’s laws against counterfeiters of golf equipment products. As a result of the Group’s petitioning efforts, dozens of successful raids of manufacturing, assembly and retail facilities have been conducted by Chinese law enforcement and civil enforcement authorities over the past three years. Several business operators have been arrested and many have now been prosecuted in the Chinese courts.
Shih Yann Loo, a principal with the international law firm of Baker and McKenzie who is coordinating the petitioning efforts on behalf of the Group in China commented that "while we are pleased with this recent action the problem continues to grow and there are very obvious signs of blatant local protectionism by local law enforcement. The Group will attempt to lobby the higher level authorities, such as Fujian Provincial Government, Xiamen Municipal Government and Public Security Bureaus to address the Group’s concerns and appeal for more aggressive enforcement efforts."
The U.S. Golf Manufacturers Anti-Counterfeiting Working Group consists of the worlds’ leading golf equipment manufacturers. Its members and brands include Acushnet Company – Titleist, FootJoy and Cobra Golf; Callaway Golf – Odyssey, Top-Flite and Ben Hogan; Cleveland Golf-Never Compromise; Nike Golf; PING; and TaylorMade-adidas Golf – Maxfli.
For more information, please contact Rob Duncanson at (949) 589-5931.
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