On May 1, 2013, as part of an on-going investigation, the RCMP Federal Enforcement Section, with the assistance of the Winnipeg Police Service East District Station Community Support Unit and Manitoba Finance executed search warrants at three retail outlets of a Winnipeg business.
Counterfeit goods seized by RCMP as part of an on-going investigation under the Copyright Act.
The stores were located in the 500 block of St. Mary’s Road, the 2900 block of Pembina Highway, and the 100 block of Marion Street.
Investigation revealed that the business was in possession of merchandise that contained images of or replicated copyright protected images. Numerous items were seized in relation to this investigation. Seizures include copyright images belonging to Angry Bird, Looney Tunes, Hanna-Barbera and Nintendo.
An adult male employee was arrested during the search and is facing charges of possession of a controlled substance (marijuana) for the purpose of trafficking.
No formal charges have been laid at this time, however, police continue to investigate under the Copyright Act.
Criminals involved in intellectual property crime – copyright piracy and trademark counterfeiting – range from organized crime groups to small-scale retailers who sell small quantities of counterfeit goods to supplement their income.
Dealing in counterfeit products is against the law and anyone found committing these offences could face criminal penalties, including substantial fines and terms of imprisonment of up to five years.
Job loss because of lost revenue for legitimate businesses is also a consequence of counterfeit goods.
RCMP are particularly interested in the investigation of counterfeit products posing health and safety risks to Canadians or where organized crime groups are involved. Anyone with information regarding the sale of counterfeit products is asked to call their local RCMP detachment or the RCMP Federal Enforcement Section at 204-983-1189.
