Left to right; The RCMP's Miles Hiebert and Corporal John Montgomery stand behind seized counterfeit goods

 

Counterfeit goods are a growing concern for the RCMP. Corporal John Montgomery tells us between 2003 and 2008 the RCMP seized more than $63 million worth of counterfeit goods. That figure does not include seizures and investigations undertaken by other law enforcement agencies in Canada, such as Provincial and Municipal Police Services. The sale of counterfeit items directly impacts legitimate businesses, contributes to the underground economy, and ultimately supports organized crime.

Tuesday the RCMP's Federal Enforcement Division held an event in Winnipeg where it put on display some of the counterfeit goods it had seized. Montgomery says the most common items seized in Manitoba are counterfeit hockey jerseys, followed by other designer clothing and purses. He adds other common counterfeit goods are audio/video related such as DVD's. The RCMP has also encountered counterfeit toothpaste, chain saws, hockey and bicycle helmets, light fixtures, automobile parts, circuit breakers, pharmaceuticals, shampoo, batteries, and jewelry. The overwhelming majority of counterfeit goods are coming from China and Hong Kong according to Montgomery.

He stresses their number one concern is consumer safety, stressing counterfeit products are not tested and do not meet any safety standards. These products can lead to serious personal injuries, even death.

 

 

Montgomery says there are a number of ways consumers can protect themselves against counterfeit goods. He says the first way is by price point. If it's too good to be true it probably is.

 

 

Other tips from the RCMP include:

- Watch for packaging. Often times the packaging has been tampered with, products normally sold in packages are being sold individually.
- If you note spelling mistakes on the product or packaging, it’s likely counterfeit.
- You pay for what you get.  High-end items, particularly in women fashion, should reflect the designer quality.  Counterfeit items often have very poor craftsmanship.

Montgomery says if someone suspects they are in possession of a counterfeit good, they are encouraged to contact their local RCMP detachment or the RCMP Federal Enforcement Section at (204)-983-1189. He says unfortunately many of the companies responsible for peddling knock offs are located in other countries, and there is not much they can do about it. With that said, some are based in Canada and even Manitoba, and the RCMP can certainly deal with those entities.

Dealing in counterfeit products is against the law and anyone found committing these offences is liable to face severe criminal penalties including large fines up to 1 million dollars and terms of imprisonment for up to 5 years.