Task force formed to protect intellectual property

JACKSON — Attorney General Jim Hood and representatives from the national business community are joining together to announce the launch of the state’s first Intellectual Property Theft Task Force.

Hood, Carlos Linares from the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) and Bob Barchiesi, president of the International AntiCounterfeiting Coalition (IACC), met with members of the press to discuss the expected impact of the joint effort against counterfeiting.



In September, Hood announced the receipt of a federal grant to establish the Intellectual Property Theft Task Force and the commencement of “Operation Knock Out Knock-Offs.” 

The task force held its initial meeting and training in October, with more than 40 state, federal and local agencies participating.

“Since the initial meeting, we have had a number of cases brought to us for joint enforcement by task force participants,” said Hood. “We have also had several leads from the public.”

According to statistics from the IACC, the trafficking of counterfeit goods and pirated media is estimated to cost the U.S. economy up to $250 billion each year, and the loss of 750,000 jobs. It is hard to overstate the costs of counterfeiting on states like Mississippi, which loses much-needed tax revenue to the illegal sales. That lost revenue contributes directly to budget shortfalls that prevent the state from hiring additional police officers, teachers, sanitation workers, and from building new schools.

Close this Window Bookmark and Share This Page

Save to Browser Favorites / Bookmarks

Print RSS Feed Ask backflip blinklist BlogBookmark Bloglines BlogMarks Blogsvine BuddyMarks BUMPzee! CiteULike co.mments

Connotea del.icio.us Digg diigo DotNetKicks DropJack dzone Facebook Fark Faves Feed Me Links Friendsite folkd.com

Furl Google Hugg Jeqq Kaboodle kirtsy linkaGoGo linkedin LinksMarker Ma.gnolia Mister Wong Mixx MySpace

MyWeb Netvouz Newsvine oneview OnlyWire PlugIM Propeller Reddit Rojo Segnalo Shoutwire Simpy Slashdot

Sphere Sphinn Spurl Squidoo StumbleUpon Technorati ThisNext Twitter Webride Windows Live Yahoo!

Email This to a Friend

Copy HTML: 

 If you like this then please subscribe to the RSS Feed.

More »

One Response to “Task force formed to protect intellectual property”

1. Sharon Says:
   December 9th, 2009 at 8:50 am

   It’s about time! I get really upset seeing counterfeit cd’s, videos, and books at the flea markets I attend. There should be law enforcement at every one of these events to check for pirated products. Thanks- hope it works.