In a significant crackdown, Turkish authorities have dismantled a vast counterfeiting ring in Tekirdag, seizing items worth millions and halting a substantial source of fake imaging supplies.
The ICCE reports that Turkish officials have successfully dismantled a large counterfeiting workshop in Tekirdag Province, near Istanbul. This major operation, reported by Yeniça? Gazetesi, involved raiding two commercial premises manufacturing counterfeit imaging supplies. Authorities seized items worth approximately 70 million Turkish liras (about 2.2 million euros), including thousands of fake toner cartridges, packaging materials, and manufacturing equipment. The counterfeiters imported print cartridges from Asia and repackaged them as products from major imaging brands, affecting all ICCE member companies. This action marks a significant step in combating intellectual property theft and protecting consumers from counterfeit products.
“Effective enforcement actions, as just demonstrated by the Turkish authorities, are essential in the fight against counterfeiting. Such decisive actions show that counterfeiting of imaging supplies is far from being a minor offence – and that protecting the public is a priority for the authorities, just as it is for us at ICCE, where we work every day to protect our valued customers from illegal counterfeits.” Said Andrew Gardener, Global Brand Protection Manager, Lexmark International.
The counterfeiting of toner and inkjet cartridges presents broad ramifications for the digital printing industry. With the evolution of digital colour printers since the 1990s, these technologies have been a double-edged sword. While they’ve been vital in creating secure documents, their misuse in producing counterfeit goods like false currencies, checks, IDs, and packaging has been a growing concern. The impact is significant, notably in the U.S., where the prevalence of digitally produced counterfeit currency soared from nearly none in the 1990s to over half of all counterfeit notes by the mid-2000s.
The Recycler has reported on various topics concerning counterfeiting in the printing industry. These include initiatives by companies like Amazon, HP, and Canon to combat counterfeiting, such as Amazon’s Anti-Counterfeiting Exchange and Canon’s educational microsite. There are reports of HP’s efforts to confiscate millions of fraudulent products and HYB’s upgraded anti-counterfeiting measures.
Founded in 1997, the ICCE combats rising counterfeit imaging products in Europe, Middle East, and Africa, coordinating intelligence and leading enforcement efforts to protect the industry.
