April 26th is acknowledged globally as World Intellectual Property Day. As a part of Intellectual Property Week in Jamaica, a joint press conference was held Downtown Kingston by the Jamaica Intellectual Property Office (JIPO), the Counter Terrorism and Organized Crime Investigative Branch of the Jamaica Constabulary Force (C-TOC) and the Jamaica Constabulary Force on April 25, 2018. All manner of counterfeit items from raids and seizures conducted by C-TOC were on display, including shoes, apparel, prescription drugs, alcohol, rubbing alcohol and cigarettes. The three named organisations underscored the positive effects of working together to clamp down on the multi-million dollar counterfeiting industry in Jamaica. They also thanked the legal fraternity and the rights holders for their assistance and collaboration in bringing numerous matters to successful conclusion through the courts. $1.2 billion Jamaican dollars is the reported value of the goods destroyed http://jamaica-gleaner.com/article/lead-stories/20180426/12-billion-counterfeit-goods-destroyed.

Trade mark registrations are an essential pre-requisite to grounding civil and/ or criminal proceedings when faced with a counterfeiting problem. They are also essential for protection at our borders, as Customs cannot act at our entry points without a registered trade mark. For any questions regarding the protection of trade marks and their enforcement, contact Kathryn Pearson and/ or Mikhail Jackson from our IP Team.