January 28, 2004

By: Sam Amin
Website: http://www.1st-in-sunglasses.com

Oakley Raids Counterfeit Factories In China And South Africa

Oakley, Inc., announced today the results of successful raids at three Chinese factories and two South African distributors engaged in the production and distribution of counterfeit oakley sunglasses. The raids resulted in the seizure of over 200,000 pairs of finished and semi-finished counterfeit oakley sunglasses and sunglass parts, along with manufacturing equipment and supplies used for their production. It is the largest quantity of counterfeit Oakley products ever seized in either country.

We are very pleased with the level of cooperation our legal team received from local law enforcement agencies and government officials of both countries, helping to ensure the success of these raids, commented Oakley Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Jim Jannard. Oakley has acquired a reputation as a persistent protector of its intellectual property rights. In 1999 alone, we have recovered over 1.7 million units of bogus product and arrested over 210 individuals in conjunction with intellectual property rights violations around the world. These raids should put other counterfeiters on notice that we will not tolerate activities that threaten the integrity of the Oakley brand and the trust placed in our products by consumers. We are serious about locating, raiding and prosecuting to the full extent of the law.

The counterfeit goods were apparently destined for a variety of markets, including Colombia, Venezuela and New York City. The company intends to pursue charges against the responsible parties alleging violations of various PRC patent and trademark laws but declined to give estimates of the potential fines that might be assessed upon successful prosecution.

About The Author:

Sam Amin is a successful author and regular contributor to http://www.1st-in-sunglasses.com.  Helping you find great deals on discount designer sunglasses.