The U.S. Golf Manufacturers Anti-Counterfeiting Working Group (the “Anti-Counterfeiting Group”) reports that on June 10, 2010, the Beijing Hadian District Court found five individuals guilty of the crime of attempting to sell counterfeit golf equipment. The court sentenced the five counterfeiters to jail terms of more than one year and ordered that they pay fines of approximately $54,000 (USD).
The Court found that the defendants operated warehouses containing large quantities of counterfeit golf equipment that was sold in golf stores, including the Beijing World Famous Golf Store and the Beijing Te Qi Qiao International Commerce Center. After receiving complaints from the Anti-Counterfeiting Group, Chinese PSB officers raided these targets and seized more than 2,300 counterfeit golf clubs and a large number of counterfeit golf caps, bags and accessories. The seized goods were illegal copies of authentic products made by all of the Group's members.
According to the Group, “the jail sentences demonstrate that counterfeiting is a serious crime. Counterfeiters steal the trademarks and intellectual property rights of brand owners and defraud consumers who think that they are buying genuine products.”
The Anti-Counterfeiting Group consists of the world's leading golf equipment manufacturers. Its members and brands include Acushnet Company – Titleist and FootJoy; Callaway Golf – Odyssey, Top-Flite and Ben Hogan; Cleveland Golf /Srixon and Never Compromise; Nike Golf; PING; and TaylorMade-adidas Golf and Ashworth.
