The U.S. Golf Manufacturers Anti-Counterfeiting Working Group (comprised of Acushnet Company, Callaway Golf, Cleveland Golf/Srixon, Nike Golf, PING and TaylorMade-adidas Golf Company) said the Shanghai Changning Public Procuratorate has confirmed that criminal prosecution will proceed against the owners of the three counterfeit golf club warehouses in the Chang-ning District of Shanghai. The defendants are Shi-Feng and Shi-Chun-Ping.
The criminal case against the two defendants follows on the heels of a successful series of raids jointly conducted by the Changning Administration for Industry and Commerce (AIC) and the Public Security Bureau (PSB) on Nov. 27, 2008. The raids resulted in the arrest of the defendants and the seizure of more than 4000 counterfeit golf clubs, hundreds of golf bags, shoe bags and articles of apparel and nearly 6000 golf balls. The Chinese Price Valuation Authority has valued the seized goods at more than $1 million.
This enforcement action was initiated after a complaint was filed with the AIC by the U.S. Golf Manufacturers Anti-Counterfeiting Working Group (the “Group”). The seized goods were illegal copies of products made by all six of the group's members.
The group was formed in 2004 to petition governments to enforce their country's laws against counterfeiters of golf equipment products. As a result of the gGroup's petitioning efforts, dozens of successful raids of manufacturing, warehouse, assembly and retail facilities have been conducted by Chinese law enforcement and civil enforcement authorities over the past four years. Several business operators have been arrested and many have now been prosecuted and convicted in the Chinese courts.
The U.S. Golf Manufacturers Anti-Counterfeiting Working Group consists of the world's leading golf equipment manufacturers. Its members and brands include Acushnet Company – Titleist, FootJoy and Cobra Golf; Callaway Golf – Odyssey, Top-Flite and Ben Hogan; Cleveland Golf/Srixon; Nike Golf; PING; and TaylorMade-adidas Golf and Ashworth.
