Harman Steps Up Fight Against Counterfeiting with Worldwide Law Enforcement Raids

	Thousands of fake Harman consumer and professional products were seized in coordinated effort between investigators and law enforcement in APAC region and Brazil.

Harman International, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd. focused on connected technologies for automotive, consumer, and enterprise markets, today announced that authorities in Thailand and Brazil recently carried out a series of successful raids against numerous retail outlets and warehouses selling counterfeit Harman consumer and professional audio products.

In Thailand, authorities confiscated more than 250 counterfeit JBL Professional products and 175 counterfeit dbx products from a retail outlet and two related warehouses and assembling places in Udon Thani. The fake products, including JBL Professional speakers and multiple dbx products, were offered for sale through an online website as well as a physical storefront. In two additional raids in Phuket, authorities confiscated approximately 130 counterfeit JBL Professional speakers from 10 shops. In Brazil, authorities confiscated more than 1,600 JBL consumer audio products, including portable Bluetooth speakers. The raids followed more than one year of surveillance by a specialized IP law firm hired by Harman to combat counterfeiting worldwide.

"Harman is committed to protecting the integrity and image of its brands, and will not hesitate to vigorously defend against the unauthorized use of its name, designs, and trademarks," said Jaakko Alajoki, legal IP specialist, Harman. "As demand for our products continues to increase, we will continue to partner and cooperate with investigators and law enforcement agencies around the world to safeguard our intellectual property, and ensure that consumers are protected from counterfeit products."

According to recent studies, the rise of counterfeiting in the international trade market not only damages a company's brand, it generates serious risks to consumers who buy products with inferior materials and construction. Counterfeiting also damages the ability of authorized manufacturers, distributors, and retailers to build successful businesses and generate jobs by selling authentic, high-quality products.

Counterfeit goods often indirectly support factories that engage in abusive labor practices, including the use of child and slave labor, unsafe working conditions, excessive work hours, underpayment of wages, and poor environmental practices. Furthermore, studies show that counterfeit sales are sometimes used to directly fund organized crime groups and terrorist organizations.

As one of the leaders in the global audio marketplace, Harman is actively working with official authorities worldwide to take aggressive action to deter counterfeiters. To ensure consumers are purchasing a genuine Harman brand and not a counterfeit, Harman encourages consumers to be vigilant and only purchase products through authorized Harman resellers.