China, India and Hong Kong remained atop the US Customs and Border Patrol’s list of top trading partners for intellectual property rights seizures in 2008, accounting for a combined 92% of the value of all counterfeit goods seized by the CBP.
The total number of IPR seizures increased by 9.7%, from 13,657 in 2007 to 14,992 in 2008. Goods seized from Chinese sources were valued at US$221 million, an increase of 40% by value over 2007.
India’s US$16.2 million in seized value makes it the second most significant trading partner by value for IPR seizures, with pharmaceuticals accounting for 99% of the total value of IPR seizures from India. Hong Kong had the third highest value, with US$13.4 million in IPR seizures.
Taiwan accounted for 1% of all seizures by value, according to the report. Korea, Pakistan, Vietnam, the United Arab Emirates and Indonesia, along with the Dominican Republic, were all named to the list, each with listed values between US$650,000 and US$1 million, or less than 1% of all seizures by value.
The value of goods seized from Taiwanese sources declined by 23% over 2007, while the value of goods seized from Pakistani sources declined by 69%. The value of goods seized from Indonesian sources skyrocketed by 570% over 2007, from US$96,000 to US$650,000.
Footwear and handbags accounted for nearly half of all commodities seized, while pharmaceuticals accounted for 45% of all safety and security commodities seized, with sunglasses, colognes and perfumes and cigarettes accounting for a combined 34%.
