Two NJ Men Charged with Trafficking Counterfeit Perfume
According to a December 6, 2011 Justice Department press release, two New Jersey men, Sanjay Anandani and Rohit Rohit, were charged in an indictment unsealed on December 1, 2011 in the Eastern District of New York, for their alleged roles in a conspiracy to import and traffic in counterfeit perfume.
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Allegedly Imported Counterfeit Perfume, Fragrance Boxes w/ Counterfeit Trademarks
According to the indictment, Anandani and Rohit conspired with each other and others to traffic in counterfeit perfume. The indictment alleges that Anandani and Rohit imported three shipping containers with counterfeit perfume during 2009 and 2010, as well as 4,600 fragrance boxes bearing counterfeit perfume trademarks.
Possible Penalties Include 10 Years in Prison, $2M Fine
The two-count indictment filed in the Eastern District of New York charges each defendant with conspiracy to traffic in counterfeit goods and trafficking in counterfeit goods. The conspiracy charge carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. The trafficking charge carries a maximum penalty of 10 years in prison and a $2,000,000 fine.
Indictment Example of DoJ’s Intellectual Property Task Force
According to DoJ, this indictment is an example of the type of efforts being undertaken by its Task Force on Intellectual Property, which was created to combat the growing number of domestic and international intellectual property crimes, protect the health and safety of American consumers, and safeguard the nation’s economic security against those who seek to profit illegally from American creativity, innovation and hard work.
The IP Task Force seeks to strengthen intellectual property rights protection through heightened criminal and civil enforcement, greater coordination among federal, state and local law enforcement partners, and increased focus on international enforcement efforts, including reinforcing relationships with key foreign partners and U.S. industry leaders.