Four counterfeit goods sellers arrested in Dongdaemun, Seoul... 217 items seized (Korea)

Intellectual property and investigative authorities and local governments conducted a crackdown on the distribution and sale of counterfeit goods in the Dongdaemun area of Seoul, South Korea, arresting a total of four people and seizing 217 counterfeit goods.
The Sebit Market Counterfeit Goods Investigation Council, which is made up of the Korean Intellectual Property Office, the Seoul Metropolitan Government, the Seoul Jung-gu Office, and the Seoul Central Police Station, conducted a joint crackdown on counterfeit goods at Sebit Market in Dongdaemun, Seoul on the 25th of last month.
As a result of the crackdown, 217 counterfeit products of famous brands such as Gucci were seized, and four wholesale retailers, including Ms. A (49 years old), who sold them, were indicted without detention on suspicion of violating the Trademark Act.
Meanwhile, five unauthorized yellow tents were removed. The second crackdown was carried out by a total of 35 people, including 25 investigators from the investigation council, seven members of the Jung-gu Office removal team, and three members of the Korea Intellectual Property Protection Agency.
As a result, four counterfeit sellers were indicted on suspicion of violating the Trademark Act, and 24 famous brand clothing and hats, including Prada, Nike, and Gucci, were stolen.
A total of 217 counterfeit goods were seized from three categories, including sunglasses and other items. In the second simultaneous joint crackdown, the amount of counterfeit goods seized, the number of brands, and the variety of items seized decreased compared to the first simultaneous joint crackdown.
This is seen as the result of the investigation council's continuous crackdown. In the first simultaneous joint crackdown, six people were indicted and 28 brands of clothing, shoes, hats, etc., including Louis Vuitton, Chanel, and Gucci, were seized.
A total of 854 counterfeit goods were seized from eight categories, including the above. In the second crackdown, the amount of counterfeit goods at Sebit Market decreased, but the number of unauthorized sellers selling counterfeit goods without a license, marked with yellow labels, was still high.
In the future, the investigation committee will continue to investigate the actual operation of the Sebit market, including the number of tents set up at the Sebit market and the number of licensed yellow tents.
The Construction Management Division of the Jung-gu Office will continue to revoke the licenses of street vendors selling counterfeit goods and remove unlicensed yellow tents.
"The investigation council has stepped up its crackdown and the sale of counterfeit goods appears to have shrunk somewhat, but there are still many yellow tents and stores selling counterfeit goods," said Park Ju-young, head of the Trademark Special Judicial Police Division at the Korea Intellectual Property Office.
"The number of sellers has not decreased, and we are responding to the crackdown in an organized manner," he said. "By cracking down on counterfeit goods and removing unauthorized yellow tents, we will take firm action against counterfeit sellers who resist public authority and will continue to crack down on counterfeit goods."
"We will continue to crack down strongly and aggressively to eradicate counterfeit goods from being distributed," he said.