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Joint Strategic Plan on Intellectual Property Enforcement<br />

FIG. 28: Examples of Seized Counterfeit Automotive Parts.<br />

Engine and Drivetrain<br />

Spark plugs can overheat and<br />

may lead to fire; oil filters can<br />

cause sudden engine failure<br />

Glass<br />

Improper glass may not<br />

adequately protect passengers<br />

from projectiles during normal<br />

driving conditions<br />

Body and Structural<br />

Vehicle hoods designed<br />

without crumple zones<br />

may penetrate the<br />

passenger compartment<br />

in a crash<br />

Headlights and Taillights<br />

Low-quality materials and<br />

improper sealing may lead<br />

to moisture intrusion and<br />

damage causing failure<br />

or malfunction<br />

Suspension System<br />

These parts made of<br />

substandard materials<br />

have shown higher<br />

rates of failure<br />

Airbags<br />

Have been found to<br />

improperly deploy, or<br />

not deploy at all<br />

Brakes<br />

Have been found to be<br />

made of grass clippings<br />

and saw dust<br />

Wheels<br />

Compromised structural<br />

integrity by cracking after<br />

hitting a pothole at just<br />

over 30 mph<br />

Source: a2c2<br />

SECTION 1<br />

Recent enforcement operations suggest that the<br />

counterfeit auto part trade is large and growing. 108 During<br />

one inspection at Florida’s Port Everglades on May 8,<br />

2015, CBP officers and import specialists seized more<br />

than 3,260 counterfeit automobile parts, comprised of a<br />

diverse collection of over 180 different types of vehicle<br />

parts ranging from small fuses to entire front ends. 109<br />

As these industry examples illustrate, entities<br />

behind the manufacture, distribution, advertising,<br />

and sale of counterfeit products are not concerned<br />

about public health and safety. These entities share a<br />

devotion to generating illicit profits at all costs, while<br />

remaining recklessly indifferent to the actual injuries<br />

and potential risks to life that can come from their<br />

imitation of personal care products, pharmaceuticals,<br />

consumer electronics and electrical components, and<br />

automotive parts.<br />

3. Threatens the Environment.<br />

Environmental offenses are often treated in isolation from<br />

other types of serious crimes, including trade in counterfeit<br />

goods. That may be due in part to separate agencies<br />

having responsibility for the protection and conservation<br />

of the environment, trade enforcement, and national<br />

security. A broader view and greater coordination would<br />

be beneficial to adapt to today’s more sophisticated<br />

environment of global illicit trade.<br />

The environmental costs of counterfeiting are often<br />

understated, but cannot be ignored. Counterfeit products<br />

are often accompanied by environmentally-damaging<br />

consequences, either at the time of manufacture, the<br />

time of use, or the time of disposal. With respect to<br />

counterfeit manufacturing practices, the United Nations<br />

Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) has reported that<br />

while responsible manufacturers try to improve their<br />

environmental impact standards, “counterfeiters enjoy<br />

the cost savings of dirty production. In short, anywhere<br />

that the international community attempts to establish<br />

good practice standards for industry, counterfeiters<br />

undercut them.” 110<br />

Furthermore, the use of counterfeit agrochemical<br />

products appear to be significant and on the rise. 111<br />

Unregulated fertilizers or pesticides have destroyed<br />

harvests and poisoned farmland. 112 These products pose<br />

serious environmental risks, including infecting food<br />

chains and harming ecosystems. For example, counterfeit<br />

fertilizers have been reported to have caused serious<br />

damage and destruction of harvests in large areas in<br />

China, Russia, Ukraine, and Italy.<br />

Counterfeit pesticides exported from China and<br />

India have been found to include toxic ingredients such<br />

as nicotine sulphate, which is deadly to humans, and<br />

has been distributed to unknowing buyers throughout<br />

38

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