Counterfeit Products a Hazard to Your Health

The Australian Minister for Home Affairs Bob Debus says a new website will help Australian consumers identify counterfeit goods which are potentially risking their health, compromising their safety and supporting organized crime.

“In the case of personal care products and food items, they contain unknown chemicals and in all likelihood have been produced in unsanitary conditions posing a direct health threat.

“The World Intellectual Property Organisation reports that sub-standard components in automotive parts, batteries and electrical goods have caused equipment failure, accidents, explosions and even fires.

“Both Customs and the Australian Federal Police treat Intellectual Property (IP) crime very seriously.

“IP crime is a global problem and the trade in counterfeit goods could easily gain a foothold in Australia if we are not vigilant.”

In 2007, Customs seized more than 1500 shipments of counterfeit goods containing more than 600,000 individual items, including clothing, handbags, perfumes, food products, batteries and toiletries.

To mark last weekend’s World Intellectual Property Day the AFP has joined with Customs and Unilever Australia to educate consumers about the emergence of potentially dangerous trade in counterfeit goods in Australia.

Today’s warning comes after the seizure in February of tonnes of counterfeit OMO washing powder and the arrest this month of two Victorian men for allegedly producing unauthorized pay TV encryption cards.

The AFP has received $8.3 million from the Australian Government to respond to emerging IP crime issues and to support the significant copyright legislative reforms made by government.

The AFP will today launch a website with fact sheets, downloads and links regarding IP crime. This valuable resource aims to help Australian consumers to recognize and reject counterfeit goods.

Visit www.afp.gov.au/national/ip-crime.

Source: AFP

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