In a series of significant enforcement actions, Chinese customs officials have intensified their efforts to combat counterfeit goods within the bearing industry. Recently, staff at the New Port Customs in Tianjin customs confiscated 165 boxes of fake bearings during an inspection. The discovery was made when officials noted graphic markings on both the products and their packaging, leading to an investigation that confirmed the bearings infringed on trademark rights. The rights holder subsequently filed an intellectual property protection request through customs, resulting in the confiscation of a total of 2,033 suspicious bearings.
Additionally, customs officials in Liaocheng conducted a routine check on a batch of bearings set for export by a local company. During this inspection, they discovered logos of well-known brands “SKF” and “KOYO” on the packaging of certain products. Upon further investigation, it was established that this batch also violated intellectual property rights. Consequently, the Liaocheng customs initiated intellectual property protection procedures, leading to the confiscation of the counterfeit bearings in accordance with the law.
According to Articles 44 and 91 of the Customs Law of the People’s Republic of China, customs authorities are required to safeguard intellectual property rights pertaining to imported and exported goods. When violations occur, customs has the authority to confiscate counterfeit products and impose fines, with possible criminal prosecution for those found guilty of such offenses.
These incidents highlight the critical importance of enforcing intellectual property laws and the proactive role of customs authorities in the fight against counterfeit products. As counterfeiting poses significant risks to legitimate businesses and consumers alike, the ongoing efforts demonstrate China’s commitment to upholding intellectual property protections in its markets.
