Counterfeit Mobile Phones Seized

SARAJEVO, (Patria) - Officials of the Indirect Taxation Authority at the Sarajevo Customs Post seized a large quantity of mobile phones due to intellectual property and trademark infringement.

The value of the seized goods is estimated at 100,000 BAM. Officials of the Indirect Taxation Authority at the Sarajevo Customs Post, in cooperation with colleagues from the Group for Prevention of Smuggling and Offences of the Sarajevo Regional Centre, stopped the import of 1400 mobile phones from the People's Republic of China that, by their appearance, resemble the NOKIA brand of mobile phones.

"The goods were temporarily detained under customs supervision, and the prescribed procedure for taking customs measures for the protection of intellectual property is being carried out in accordance with the provisions of the Trademark Law and the Decision on the implementation of customs measures for the protection of trademark holders' rights. The market value of the temporarily seized goods is estimated at approx. 100,000.00 BAM. During the import, export, or transit of goods, in accordance with valid regulations, intellectual property rights are protected, namely: trademarks, copyrights and related rights, industrial design, patents, and origin or geographical indications. Customs authorities are competent, in cases of suspected infringement of intellectual property rights, to suspend customs proceedings until the proceedings determining the infringement are concluded. In other words, if customs authorities suspect that certain goods being imported into BiH are counterfeit versions of well-known global brands, they have the right to detain such goods and request the rights holder to conduct an expert assessment as to whether it is a counterfeit or not. If it is determined that there are grounds to suspect that the goods are counterfeit versions of one of the well-known global brands protected in BiH, the ITA shall retain the goods in question until the proceedings before the competent court are concluded and a legally binding court decision is made," it was announced from the ITA of BiH.

The Indirect Taxation Authority of BiH invites all citizens to report any form of customs or VAT evasion to our open line 080 02 06 07. All calls are free and completely anonymous.