Our Partner Agencies — National Intellectual Property Rights Coordination Center

National Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) Coordination Center

Protection is Our Trademark -The IPR Center manages and supports the ICE commercial fraud program. Successful cases have produced significant seizures, civil penalties and criminal prosecutions.

Latest News

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California businessman pleads guilty in Houston to trafficking in counterfeit veterinary-product labels and packaging

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Michael Chihwen Wang, 49, of Buena Park, California, was the vice president of CYU Lithographics Inc., doing business as Choice Lithographics in Buena Park. Between July 2015 and December 2016, Wang directed the manufacture of counterfeit trademarked Frontline, Frontline Plus and Merial veterinary product labels and shipped them to Houston.
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Mexican siblings indicted in New Mexico for operating a counterfeit vehicle airbag business

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Dina Gonzalez-Marquez, 23, and Emilio Gonzalez-Marquez, 21, were arrested Wednesday for allegedly operating a counterfeit airbag business out of their Albuquerque residence.
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Human smuggler from Mexico receives enhanced 70-month federal prison sentence for raping illegal aliens and brandishing a machete

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Julio Puente-Oliva, from Mexico, was sentenced April 27 by U.S. District Judge Micaela Alvarez to 70 months in federal prison for conspiring to harbor illegal aliens. The court enhanced the sentence because he raped the victim and brandished a dangerous weapon during the course of the conspiracy.
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California CEO pleads guilty in Houston to trafficking in counterfeit labels and packaging

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Paul S. Rodriguez Jr., 48, was the CEO of Action Packing and Design Inc. in Santa Ana, California. Between July 2015 and December 2016, Rodriguez intentionally trafficked in counterfeit labels and packaging by manufacturing, then shipping to Houston, counterfeit and trademarked Frontline, Frontline Plus and Merial veterinary product labels and packaging.
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New Jersey man charged with smuggling, dispensing misbranded drugs

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Marc Merwin Snyder, 64, formerly of Egg Harbor Township, New Jersey, is charged by indictment with one count of conspiracy, three counts of smuggling of misbranded drugs, one count of receipt and delivery of misbranded drugs, four counts of misbranding by dispensing prescription drugs without a valid prescription, four counts of introducing misbranded drugs into interstate commerce.
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ICE, CBP seize thousands of fake condoms

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In the past, seized cosmetics have been found to contain hazardous substances including cyanide, arsenic, mercury, lead, urine and rat droppings. Fake condoms will not guard the user against sexually transmitted diseases and pregnancy.
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Los Angeles-area man pleads guilty to illegally importing ED drugs which were sold as ‘herbal’ sexual enhancement products

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Joseph Jinn, also known as Tzong Hwan Jinn, 60, of Diamond Bar, admitted in a plea agreement filed in federal court that he imported Tadalafil, Sildenafil, and Dapoxetine – the active ingredients in pharmaceutical medications such as Viagra and Cialis – by falsely claiming to customs officials that the multi-kilogram shipments were “cooked powder and tools,” “Chinese bread baking mixture,” and...
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3 people plead guilty to conspiracy to import and traffic counterfeit electronic products

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Andreina Becerra, 31, a Venezuelan national, Roberto Volpe, 34, an Italian national, and Rosario La Marca, 54, an Italian national and resident of Naples, Italy, were originally charged in an eight-count indictment returned in April 2015 with importing and trafficking fake iPhones, iPads and iPods bearing counterfeit Apple trademarks, and fake camcorders bearing counterfeit Sony trademarks, as...
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Arizona man sentenced to more than 3 years in federal prison for trafficking in counterfeit pet pharmaceutical products

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Allen Smith, 50, of Phoenix, Arizona, was sentenced Feb. 6 by U.S. District Judge David Hittner of the Southern District of Texas. In addition to his prison term, Smith was ordered to pay $867,150 in restitution and to forfeit $42,269 worth of illicit proceeds.
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2 New York residents plead guilty to illegally dispensing and administering cosmetic prescription drugs and importing misbranded drugs

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Bu Young Kim, 40, and Chan Hui Cho, 40, both of Brooklyn, New York, appeared in court Jan. 25 to answer to the charges, which stem from a probe by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) and the Food and Drug Administration.
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'Operation Team Player' nets $20 million in fake sports merchandise

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The results from Operation Team Player, a year-round effort developed by the HSI-led National IPR Center to crackdown on the illegal importation of counterfeit sports apparel and merchandise, were revealed at a press conference hosted by the NFL with participation from ICE, CBP, Houston Police Department, Harris County District Attorney’s Office and Harris County Constable’s Office.
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Former Colorado police officer sentenced for selling counterfeit Denver Broncos merchandise

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David Brian Henrichsen, 51, a former police officer in Colorado Springs, Colorado, pleaded guilty to one count of computer crime to commit theft, and was fined $7,500 by Adams County District Judge Ted Tow for his role in the criminal enterprise.
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Missouri woman sentenced to 2 years in federal prison for $90 million online counterfeit cellphone scheme

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Sherrie Householder, 59, of Nixa, Missouri, was sentenced by U.S. District Judge Beth Phillips to two years in federal prison without parole. The court also ordered Householder to pay $8,866,069 in restitution. Wang “Frank” Luo, a Chinese citizen, owned Flash Tech, while Householder managed the company’s activities in the United States.
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Agreement reached to ensure destruction of timber believed to have been harvested in violation of Peruvian law

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The timber was seized Dec. 20, 2015 by HSI at the Port of Houston, Texas for violation of the Lacey Act and customs law. It was destroyed in accordance with a settlement agreement reached by the United States and the importer of the timber, Oregon-based Popp Forest Products Inc.
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New enforcement effort targets dangerous electronics

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The operation, named “Surge Protector”, will focus on electronics vulnerable to counterfeiting, including phony digital media devices, power adapters and consumer technology powered by lithium ion batteries. Counterfeit electronics are routinely the second most seized commodity during the course of intellectual property enforcement conducted by ICE and CBP. From Fiscal Year 2013 to FY 2015,...
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Orange County man charged with selling pet meds without a prescription, some of which were not approved for distribution in the US

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Sean Gerson, 48, the owner of a business called Vaccination Services in Lake Forest, was taken into custody by special agents with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Food and Drug Administration’s Office of Criminal Investigations, and the Environmental Protection Agency. Gerson is scheduled to make his initial appearance Tuesday afternoon...
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Executive report lays blueprint for IP enforcement

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The Joint Strategic Plan (JSP) for Intellectual Property Enforcement, titled “Supporting Innovation, Creativity & Enterprise: Charting a Path Ahead”, identifies overarching goals, mandated objectives and collaborative initiatives to be implemented by the ICE-led National Intellectual Property Rights Coordination Center (IPR Center) over the next three years.
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2 men from California and Pennsylvania sentenced in Houston for trafficking counterfeit prescription drugs

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Martez Alando Gurley, 41, and Victor Lamar Coates, 47, admitted that they each trafficked more than 10,000 counterfeit tablets. On Dec. 6, U.S. District Judge David Hittner sentenced Gurley to 75 months in federal prison and ordered him to pay $410,508 in restitution to Pfizer Inc. and Eli Lilly and Company — the licensed patent trademark holders of Viagra and Cialis.
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'Operation In Our Sites' keeps Internet clear of fakes

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WASHINGTON – Several thousand copyright-infringing websites and third-party marketplace listings selling counterfeit pharmaceuticals, automotive parts and other fake items to unsuspecting consumers have been criminally and administratively seized and removed in an effort that combines the resources of global law-enforcement agencies and industry.
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'Buyer Beware!' Counterfeit goods and the holiday shopping season

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In 2015, the number of seizures made nationally due to Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) violations increased 25 percent from the previous year, totaling more than 28,000 seizures with an estimated value of more than $1.3 billion.

Consumer Alerts

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Pirated Software May Contain Malware

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Software bought on the cheap from unknown sellers may contain hidden dangers.
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Counterfeit Auto Parts

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PSA for counterfeit auto parts.

Quick Links

Report IP Theft

To report violations of intellectual property rights, including counterfeiting and piracy, to the National IPR Coordination Center, click here..

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