James Delahunty
4 Jan 2006 18:47
Plans for a new multi-agency approach to tackling traders who sell counterfeit goods are being drawn up in the UK following a series of four raids, dubbed Operation Dawn. The raids took place in the run up to Christmas at North London's Wembley Market. Between 50 and 70 people including police officers marked more than 30 traders for possible prosecution and seized counterfeit goods that would have been valued at £1.5 million at retail.
"My understanding is that Operation Dawn is likely to be the blueprint for similar operations from the Patent Office... for dealing with this sort of trader or organised crime." said Giles Speed, the Brent and Harrow trading standards officer. A spokesman for Britain's Department of Trade & Industry said the multi-agency approach would be co-ordinated by the Patent Office and the National Criminal & Intelligence Service.
Apparently some legitimate traders and local businesses, including Blockbuster, supported the raids. Agencies included in Operation Dawn included the British Phonographic Industry (BPI), the Anti-Counterfeiting Group, Job Centre Plus and the Inland Revenue. However, no piracy-related arrests were actually made. In fact, the two arrests made were a man on suspicion of outstaying his immigration visa and another man for not producing identification. The raids were instead a deterrent for traders.
Source:
The Register