Golf Anti-Counterfeiting
Group Seizes Nearly 500,000 Fakes Golf Products
Groups
Clustering Campaign Results in Massive Counterfeit
Seizures
The U.S. Golf Manufacturers Anti-Counterfeiting
Working Group (Golf Group) announced on December 4, 2012, the
completion of a successful law enforcement initiative, called
a clustering campaign, which resulted in the seizure of nearly
500,000 counterfeit golf products and the arrest of more than
30 suspects by the Public Security Bureau of China. In total,
the campaign spanned 6 months and involved raids on 14 different
locations. The campaign revealed an elaborate counterfeiting
network that operated throughout the country with locations in
Xiamen, Shanghai, Dongguan and Beijing.
Just by sheer numbers this has been
one of the most successful efforts in the fight against counterfeit
clubs, said Brian Lynch, Senior Vice President, General
Counsel and Corporate Secretary for Callaway. But this
isnt just about the numbers. This wasnt a one-time
raid. This was an entire counterfeit network that has been completely
dismantled.
The clustering campaign began in February
when Chinese authorities raided one target in Shanghai, which
was later linked to 4 other targets also in Shanghai. All of
these targets shared the same suppliers in Xiamen and Dongguan.
An additional eight raids of the suppliers took place in July
and August in Beijing, Dongguan and Xiamen. The targets included
both storefronts and manufacturing and distribution facilities.
Ultimately, the campaign uncovered four different gangs that
were operating within a single network. More than 30 suspects
were arrested during the raids, three of them have been sentenced
to jail terms of 1 to 3 years by a Shanghai court and others
are still being prosecuted.
This clustering campaign shows counterfeiters
were not just going after storefronts, said Don Reino,
Vice President of Legal Operations for Cleveland Golf. Were
going after every level of these organizations and truly making
an impact.
More information about counterfeit golf
clubs and products can be found at www.keepgolfreal.com.
About the Golf Manufacturers Anti-Counterfeiting
Working Group
The Golf Anti-Counterfeiting Group consists of five of the most
well-known golf companies in the worldCallaway-Odyssey;
TaylorMadeadidas Golf and Ashworth; PING; Cleveland Golf, Srixon
and Never Compromise; and Acushnet Company whose brands are Titleist,
FootJoy and Scotty Cameron. Since 2004, the Golf Anti-Counterfeiting
Group has worked with international law enforcement and government
agencies to conduct raids and investigations of counterfeit operations,
as well as raise public awareness of the issue. In 2011 alone,
the groups efforts led to the seizure of more than 80,000
counterfeit golf products. |