The US Golf Manufacturers’ Anti-Counterfeiting Working Group (comprised of Acushnet Company — Titleist and Cobra Golf, Callaway Golf Company, Cleveland Golf, PING, Nike, TaylorMade-adidas Golf Company and MacGregor Golf) announced last month that, with the help of Chinese government, several successful anti-counterfeiting raids had been launched in China.
Responding to complaints by the Group, Chinese government enforcement authorities launched simultaneous raids over three days against five factories in Dongguan, two factories in Ningbo and four factories in Xiamen. The raids focused on the manufacturers of counterfeit products and resulted in the seizure of thousands of counterfeit golf clubs, golf bags, shirts, accessories and production equipment. In this latest operation, over 10,000 pieces of counterfeit products from all brands were seized.
Previously, the government there has assisted American golf companies in a raid in Guangdong province in January 2005 where it is estimated that over $1,000,000 worth of counterfeit golf equipment was seized and subsequently destroyed by authorities.
Loo Shih Yann, an attorney with the law firm Baker & McKenzie, which is coordinating efforts in China on behalf of the Group, said that the Chinese authorities have “shown resolute determination to assist in the battle against counterfeiters. This is demonstrated by the breadth of the operation covering 11 factories in three different provinces.
