Interagency cooperative efforts contribute to counterfeiting crackdown

The domain names of 150 commercial websites have been seized as part of a federal law enforcement operation (Operation In Our Sites).  The seizure is a coordinated anti-counterfeiting effort of the Department of Justice, US Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s (ICE) Homeland Security Investigations (HIS), the ICE led National Intellectual Property Rights Coordination Center (IPR Center), and the FBI Washington Field Office.

The IPR Center led the operation in coordination with the FBI’s Washington Field Office, the Computer Crime and Intellectual Property Section of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and eight U.S. Attorneys’ Offices, including the District of Maryland, Southern District of Texas, Western District of Texas, District of Minnesota, Eastern District of Michigan, Eastern District of Louisiana and District of Colorado.

The IPR Center is an important player in the U.S. government’s fight against criminal counterfeiting and piracy, and uses the expertise of its member agencies to share information, coordinate enforcement actions, and conduct investigations related to IP theft.  Through this strategic interagency partnership, the IPR Center protects public health and safety as well as the US economy.

The domain seizures are one of many efforts of the Department of Justice’s Task Force on Intellectual Property (IP Task Force).  The IP Task Force was created to combat the growing number of domestic and international intellectual property crimes, protect the health and safety of American consumers, and safeguard US economic security.   The IP Task Force’s mission is to strengthen intellectual property rights protection through criminal and civil enforcement, facilitate greater coordination among federal, state and local law enforcement partners, and increase the focus on international enforcement efforts, including reinforcing relationships with key foreign partners and U.S. industry leaders.

For more information about the domain seizure, IPR Center, or IP Task Force, please follow the links below.
Federal Courts Oder Seizure of 150 Website Domains as Part of DOJ, ICE HIS, and FBI Crackdown
National Intellectual Property Rights Coordination Center (IPR Center)
Department of Justice Task Force on Intellectual Property (IP Task Force)