IPO publishes crime breakdown

11:55 | Thursday July 29, 2010

The annual IP (Intellectual Property) Crime Report, which is published by the Intellectual Property Office, reveals millions of fake items were seized through operations into everything from market traders to internet auction sites.

It reveals Customs seized over 2100 consignments containing four million items during 2009/10, worth an estimated £40 million.

Intellectual Property minister Baroness Wilcox says counterfeiting and piracy is still a major threat to the British economy. “They take sales from legitimate businesses and put jobs in danger. Fake goods often pose a real threat to the people buying them.

“I am pleased to see everyone coming together: police, trading standards, industry, the Intellectual Property Office, and others to tackle this menace.”

The IP Crime Report, which uses BPI figures estimating that online copyright infringement is costing the industry £200m, also shows that Trading Standards departments have dealt with everything from fake toothpaste to fake airplane spare parts as designer goods, music and film.

The full report is available at www.ipo.gov.uk