Chamber Commends DOJ Counterfeiting Crackdown

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The United States Chamber of Commerce applauded the Department of Justice's Operation Fastlink that conducted over 100 worldwide searches within a 24 hour period of the most well known and prolific online intellectual property theft organizations.

"These are not victimless crimes, but rather real criminal activities with significant personal economic and social consequences," said David Hirschmann, Chamber senior vice president. "It's a big business and it's getting bigger."

The DOJ effort was a major step in tackling the growing economic threat of global theft of movies, music, games and business and educational software on the Internet.

The U.S. Chamber has warned that counterfeiting is a significant drag on the U.S. economy and has urged greater vigilance and enforcement of existing laws. Counterfeiting drains an estimated $500 billion from the U.S. economy every year – with intellectual property crimes accounting for nearly $200–250 billion alone – and results in the loss of 750,000 jobs.

From an economic perspective, intellectual property crimes deter new product innovation, reduce business sales and tax revenues, create liability concerns, lower corporate and shareholder profits, destroy well-established brands, and diminish consumer confidence, according to the Chamber.

"Intellectual property crime, whether it's the theft of software or digital media or knock-off brake pads, threatens American business and the overall economy," said Hirschmann. "These crimes are growing in scope and severity – no product or category is safe."

The Chamber has urged lawmakers to take additional steps, including: strengthen anti-counterfeiting laws, increase enforcement efforts, raise public awareness of the implications, and work with our international allies to counter global intellectual property theft.

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce is the world's largest business federation representing more than three million businesses and organizations of every size, sector and region.

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