posted
Got this snippit in the local electronic news this morning:
Counterfeit merchandise leads to arrest LAKE HAVASU CITY, Ariz. - A man accused of selling counterfeit trademarked merchandise was arrested by Mohave County Sheriff's detectives. The arrest of Jose Isaac Montiel, 67, came after a private investigator for some of the 87 companies found the counterfeit merchandise was sold in stores in Kingman, Lake Havasu City, Fort Mohave and Desert Hills. A Fort Mohave retailer kept the suspect in his store until Sheriff's detectives could arrive and place him in custody. Material bearing the unlicensed logos for Oakley, Nike and Harley Davidson as well as professional sports teams was found in his vehicle and a search of his home turned up more merchandise as well as drug paraphernalia. Meanwhile Lake Havasu City police are investigating the involvement of the firm Diamondback Designs, who is suspected of assisting with the embroidery. Montiel was booked into Mohave County Jail and faces possible civil charges, which if convicted, could result in up to $1 million in damages to each company.
-------------------- "If I share all my wisdom I won't have any left for myself."
Mike Pipes stickerpimp.com Lake Havasu, AZ mike@stickerpimp.com Posts: 8746 | From: Lake Havasu, AZ USA | Registered: Jun 2000
| IP: Logged |
posted
A friend of my Dad's got nailed here doing the same thing. It must have been bad, because my Dad won't talk about it...He was selling the stuff at a flea market, no less!! Only took the local yokels 12 years to catch him.
-------------------- Steve Burke Cascades Inc NS Canada
If at first you don't succeed, skydiving isn't for you Posts: 359 | From: NS Canada | Registered: Jan 2002
| IP: Logged |
posted
Mike I don't know how far south the border is from you, but there are tons of that stuff down there and in any open market in most countries, including the U.S..
posted
I did not realize that in order to be successful in the sign business I needed to add drug paraphernalia to my list of consumables. I AM behind the times!
-------------------- Jeff Vrstal Main Street Signs 157 E. Main Street Evansville, WI 53536 1-608-882-0322 Posts: 670 | From: Evansville, Wisconsin | Registered: Sep 2001
| IP: Logged |
posted
So what did he do wrong?!?!? (hee hee just kidding)
Wasn't he the guy looking for clipart a few weeks back? (just kidding again)
-------------------- Randy Graphic Details Promotional Merchandise Distributor South Glens Falls, NY Posts: 381 | From: South Glens Falls, NY USA | Registered: Mar 2001
| IP: Logged |
quote:Originally posted by Santo: Mike I don't know how far south the border is from you, but there are tons of that stuff down there and in any open market in most countries, including the U.S..
The border's just a few hours away, the difference is, Trademarks don't mean squat once ya leave the US. Anyone anywhere can reproduce whatever they want and sell in their own country, but even though it was produced outside of the US, it's not legal to sell IN the US.
Anyway, in one of the posts that came up the past few weeks, someone asked "So has anyone actually gone to prison over trademark/copyright issues?".. There's the proof right there. Not only are they going after the guy that was selling them, they're going after the company that was producing them.
-------------------- "If I share all my wisdom I won't have any left for myself."
Mike Pipes stickerpimp.com Lake Havasu, AZ mike@stickerpimp.com Posts: 8746 | From: Lake Havasu, AZ USA | Registered: Jun 2000
| IP: Logged |
posted
I was on a bike trip with a group and we came across a trailer dealer that was selling motorcycle trailers with the Harley-Davidson logo emblazoned on the sides. They looked okay from about 100' away but were rough as heck close up. Some yokel had scanned them and cut them 6' wide. I would imagine HD would love to get their hands on that guy in Hot Springs, Arkansas.
-------------------- Frisby Signs, Inc. El Dorado, Arkansas Posts: 902 | From: El Dorado, Arkansas, USA | Registered: Apr 1999
| IP: Logged |
posted
Last year, they busted something like a hundred merchants at the Anderson Jockey Lot about 40 miles from us, for selling trademarked rip-offs. The US Marshalls I beleive went in and did the raid in one clean sweep. I remember once my friend bought a "Rockford Fosgate" 15" woofer down there and it was a cheapo piece of crap with a sticker over the real name. I asked him if he'd ever seen a Punch woofer built like that and he hadn't, you wonder why folks like him are such suckers? Hmmmm?????
-------------------- John Thompson JTT Graphics "The big guy with a little sign shop!" Royston/Hartwell Georgia jtt101@hotmail.com Posts: 626 | From: Royston Georgia | Registered: Feb 2002
| IP: Logged |
Printer-friendly view of this topic