Counterfeiting and piracy divert money from legitimate businesses into the hands of organized criminals, and can threaten our safety and well-being.

Companies spend significant time and resources making sure only the safest products enter our homes. However, that is not the case for counterfeiters. Sophisticated criminal networks replicate anything from medicines to handbags to baby cribs as cheaply as possible and without regard for quality or safety, just for their illicit gain. These counterfeit products are oftentimes produced with substandard components or fail to meet even the most basic health and safety standards. And in the case of pirated software and entertainment, consumers are exposed to identity theft, theft of financial information, or malicious computer viruses

Consumers ought to be protected from the reach of these criminals. Strong enforcement of intellectual property rights promotes public safety and disturbs the business models of these professional deceivers.

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