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Counterfeiters Reap $2.4 Million in Damages, Officials Say
Counterfeiters in Maryland and across the country are facing increased scrutiny from law enforcement, as the U.S. government cracks down on intellectual property theft.
Attorney General Eric Holder and Justice officials announced more than $2.4 million in grants to 13 jurisdictions to combat the purchase and sale of counterfeit and pirated products. The grants will support additional training, community outreach efforts, and investigative resources to combat intellectual property theft.
“IP theft is not a victimless crime. It can devastate lives and businesses as well as undermine our nation’s financial stability, jeopardize the health of our citizens, and even threaten our national security,” said Attorney General Eric Holder.
The grants are provided through the Bureau of Justice Assistance and will assist 13 jurisdictions in enforcing criminal laws related to IP theft. The jurisdictions include Baltimore County, Md., which will receive $123,971 in grant funds to support the Baltimore County Police Department’s efforts to enforce criminal laws protecting foreign and domestic copyrights, patents, trademarks, and other forms of intellectual property and trade secrets.
Other jurisdictions receiving grants today include Austin, Texas; Central Point, Ore.; Cook County, Ill.; Orlando, Fla.; Riverside County, Calif.; Los Angeles City Attorney’s Office; New York County District Attorney’s Office; Sacramento County, Calif.; San Antonio; the California Department of Justice; St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department; and the Virginia State Police.
The Justice Department, through the Deputy Attorney General’s IP Task Force, has made preventing IP theft a top priority. In the past three years, the Bureau of Justice Assistance has awarded $10,108,800 in grants to 34 law enforcement agencies to tackle the problem. BJA has awarded a total of $13,383,002 in grants to fight IP theft.
The grants include reimbursement of expenses incurred in performing criminal enforcement operations, such as overtime payments, storage fees for seized evidence, training, and technical assistance. The Justice Department is also working with the National White Collar Crime Center and the National Association of Attorneys General to provide additional support to combat IP theft.
Baltimore County Executive Kevin Kamenetz and Baltimore County Police Chief James W. Johnson joined Attorney General Holder and Deputy Attorney General James M. Cole for the announcement, which was held in Towson, Md.
Key Facts
- State: Maryland
- Category: Cybercrime|White Collar Crime|Organized Crime
- Source: DOJ Press Release ↗
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