Copyright cases involved pirated video cassettes, audio cassettes, and computer software. Federal law enforcement warned consumers and businesses about the kinds of things to look out for when making purchases so as not to fall victim to counterfeit products. The Bureau said that one of the biggest indicators that a product may be counterfeit is the cost of an item. A person will not be able to purchase a quality name brand item at a very low price. If it's too cheap to be true, it's probably forged, the Bureau added.
Intellectual property is vital to the U.S. economy.
To address the problem, the Justice Department, FBI and U.S. Customs Service is placing increasing emphasis on the investigation and prosecution of trademark and copyright infringement, while U.S. diplomatic efforts have increasingly focused on encouraging other countries to make efforts to control rampant piracy overseas. Descriptions of the cases brought during the month of April are attached.