Protecting Public Health and Safety
Predatory and illegal intellectual property (IP) trade practices affect every aspect of our lives. The National Intellectual Property Rights Coordination Center (IPR Center) leads the U.S. government's response to stop global IP theft and enforce trade laws.
Comprised of federal agencies and industry experts, the IPR Center develops initiatives, coordinates enforcement actions and shares information related to intellectual property (IP) theft. It also stops predatory, illegal trade practices that threaten the public's health and safety, the U.S. economy and national security.
By the Numbers
IP theft is not a victimless crime. Victims are American consumers, businesses, trademark holders and people who manufacture and sell legitimate products. Often, the illicit proceeds resulting from the sale of counterfeit or unlicensed products are funneled back to support a broad range of illegal crimes. Every day, the IPR Center works with industries and agencies to stop IP theft that threatens U.S. businesses, robs hardworking Americans of their jobs and negatively impacts the economy. From criminal arrests to the seizure of goods, the numbers tell the story.
Criminals sell pirated merchandise and counterfeit U.S. products around the globe. And, while it seems harmless to buy a knock-off purse, an inexpensive electronic device or cheaper medication, these trade practices threaten the public's health and safety, the U.S. economy and national security by introducing harmful and banned materials into counterfeit products and supporting illegal labor practices. The U.S. government created the IPR Center to stop predatory and illegal trade practices.
By bringing together domestic and international government agencies and private industry partners, the IPR Center presents a unified force to combat global intellectual property theft and enforce IP rights violations. The IPR Center was established to combat global IP theft and, accordingly, has a significant role policing the sale and distribution of counterfeit goods on websites, social media, and the dark web.
IP PROTECT
Learn how IP Project can help small businesses protect themselves from intellectual property theft, fraud and cyber-attacks.
If you represent a small business or organization wanting to learn more about IP Protect, please click on the button below.
RECENT NEWS
2024/04/22 09:20:00 UTC
Criminal Research Specialists Open The Door On Multiple Counterfeit Cases
WASHINGTON – Tenacious, relentless, and determined to deliver results are but a few of the ways to describe the work of Criminal Research Specialists (CRS) who work behind the scenes using research methods and procedures to collect and analyze crime data for use in developing potential criminal investigations.
2024/04/03 15:11:00 UTC
Multi-Million Dollar Scheme To Defraud Department of Defense revealed
OAKLAND – A California man faces up to 30 years in a federal prison after pleading guilty to a scheme to defraud the Department of Defense’s (DoD) Defense Logistics Agency (DLA). Steve H.S. Kim of Alameda County pleaded guilty to selling more than $3.5 million worth of fan assemblies to the DLA that were either counterfeit or misrepresented to be new.
2024/04/02 10:03:00 UTC
HSI Environmental Case Featured In Anti-Timber Trafficking Training in Vietnam
When a Florida couple is sentenced to nearly five years in federal prison for illegally importing and selling up to $65 million worth of plywood products, it provides an excellent opportunity to showcase the investigation that uncovered significant violations of the Lacey Act and customs laws.
Quick Links
- National Crime Prevention Council (NCPC)
- Office of Intellectual Property Enforcement Coordinator (IPEC)
- Combating Trafficking in Counterfeit and Pirated Goods: Report to the President of the United States
- Trade | U.S. Customs and Border Protection (cbp.gov)
- The Truth Behind Counterfeits | U.S. Customs and Border Protection (cbp.gov)
- Guide to Brand Protection for Small and Medium Sized Enterprises – Center for Anti-Counterfeiting and Product Protection (msu.edu)
- Wildlife Trafficking: Why battling this illicit trade is crucial | ICE
- UL Research Institutes
**The appearance of any non-federal entities and/or reference to vendors does not constitute, imply, or infer endorsement or sanction of their products or services by the IPR Center, DHS, or the federal government.