The infringing merchandise was involved in a case that is being processed in the National Economic Criminal Court No. 6, in charge of Judge Marcelo Aguinsky.
The Director General of Customs William Michel signed this Thursday the donation of an unusual amount of merchandise in infringement valued at US$284 million. One of the main commitments of his management has been to ensure that the infringing goods, seized by the national State, are returned in a beneficial way to society, integrating a virtuous cycle.
The case in question is being processed in the National Economic Criminal Court No. 6, in charge of the judge Marcelo Aguinsky and it represents a historical precedent, since a large part of the infringing merchandise consisted of products with trademark fraud. Merchandise of this type tends to be destroyed at the request of the companies with the concession to exploit the brands in our country, however, in this case, they agreed to the merchandise being donated.
Only 22% of the merchandise involved in the cause (whose value amounts to US$364 million) was destroyed. Among the donated there are toys, clothing, rolls of cloth, bazaar items, kitchen items and tools, among others.
The firm Leonardo Moyano, in charge of the Social Policy Articulation Secretariat of the Ministry of Social Development of the Nation; Darío Trimarco, Operations Manager of BACTSSA (permit holder of Port Terminal No. 5); Monsignor Gustavo Carrara, in charge of the Vice Presidency of Cáritas Argentina; Inspector Gustavo Quevedo, from the Department of Federal Crimes of the Argentine Federal Police.
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On behalf of the brands affected by trademark fraud, signed Dr. Pablo Serra, for Mattel, Inc.; Alejandro Camino, Joaquín López Díaz, Javier Amarilla and María Eugenia Camino, representing the brands Nike, Puma, Levi’s, Converse, Tommy Hilfiger, Chanel, Versace and Under Armor. In turn, Ana Paula Gallardo and Lucía Cuggino did so on behalf of The Walt Disney Company, while Gustavo Giay signed for Adidas.
“These sequestered products in conditions to be donated are in double infringement, that is, on the one hand, merchandise involved in a smuggling maneuver itself and, on the other hand, for displaying a counterfeit brand. Although the owners and licensees of the affected brands could demand their destruction, the presence here of their legal representatives together with the government authorities and Cáritas Argentina, accompany the decision to proceed with the donation of these goods to the most deprived sectors of our community,” said Aguinsky.
Source: Ambito
