Thai Department of Special Investigation – Major Raid
12 Jul 2022
Thailand
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The Thai Ministry of Justice continually takes steps to actively enforce and suppress the distribution of copyright infringed products and trademark counterfeited goods. To assist with achieving this goal, the Department of Special Investigation (‘DSI’) investigates and gathers evidence to suppress the distribution of such products. As a result of enhanced DSI investigations, the distribution and importation of a large quantity of trademark counterfeit products was recently identified in Suphanburi.
On June 27, 2022, the DSI Operation Center Region 7 conducted a search in the suspected location – at a warehouse in Suphanburi Province pursuant to a search warrant issued by The Central Intellectual Property and International Trade Court. During the investigation, many counterfeit goods from several global well-known fashion brands such as Louis Vuitton, MCM, Dior, and Coach were found, with monetary damages estimated up to thirty million Thai Baht. In total, the DSI seized 11,532 items of multi-brand counterfeits during the raid action.
The counterfeit goods from the Suphanburi raid violate the Thai Trademark Act B.E. 2534. Such counterfeiting activities are a criminal offense under the Special Case Investigation Act B.E. 2547 and B.E. 2565. The investigation process will proceed further so that a proposal can be made to the DSI Director-General to determine whether the case contains any causes or conditions that qualify as a DSI special case.
The DSI places great emphasis on the enforcement and suppression of intellectual property infringements, given Thailand is on the United States Trade Representatives (USTR) Intellectual Property Protection and Enforcement Watch List. Because of this USTR designation, the DIS continually conducts investigations and takes actions to suppress intellectual property infringements in Bangkok and other provinces across Thailand. Given the strong efforts taking place and successes being achieved by DSI to address intellectual property infringements in Thailand, there is a good chance Thailand will succeed in being removed from the USTR Watch List.
