Zambia Police Intellectual Property Unity has destroyed a consignment of pirated sweets confiscated from a named Indian companion of Mwinilunga District bearing a Trade Kings brand worth K128 million.
The intellectual property unity officers from Lusaka seized 23, 283 packets of sweets from Solwezi and Mwinilunga districts selling outlets of a named Indian company producing them with a Trade Kings brand ‘Super’.
The officers who conducted the destruction in Solwezi yesterday said 4,292 packets of sweets worth K23 million were confiscated from Mwinilunga while18, 991 packets worth K105 million were confiscated from Solwezi selling outlets respectively.
They said the consignment was confiscated last month following a complaint by Trade Kings that a company in Mwinilunga district was producing sweets bearing their brand ‘super’ contrary to section 28 Cap 404 of copyright and property performance Act.
They said the unity moved in to sieze the property and destroyed it following the exhaustion of the case whose findings revealed that the Indian company was infringing on the copyright and property performance Act section 28 Cap 104 since it did not have a manufacturing plant in Mwinilunga district.
The officers said it was discovered that the sweets were manufactured in India and smuggled into Zambia for packaging.
They have since cautioned wholesalers and retailers to be mindful of sources of their products before they are passed on for public consumption to reduce health risks on consumers.
They also sounded a warning to would be offenders that they risk being prosecuted once found wanting.
ZANIS
Its nice to see that the Zambia Police is working hard on intellectual property laws. These are often ignored in many countries but this undermines legitimate industries because people who didn’t invest anything in the product earn everything thereby denying the investor his hard earned returns. In the DRC music is a dead industry despite the fact that the country has prolific musicians. This is because pirates have taken over the industry
Well done police ……………. whatever.For a change you have done your job and done it really well.Now,these offenders need to be prosecuted for economic sabotage,they must be regarded as criminals be punished severely.How dare they make sweets in India and package them in Zambia and tarnish our fairly good name.
Jail the criminal as a lesson to the other useless Indians. I dont know why you even respect these sufferers there in Zamba
Piracy is a big problem in Zambia. Just see how Danny’s latest album ” Live” has been pirated even before it was released officially. We need to protect intellectual property and also to ensure fake goods are flushed out. Now the problem is this particular businessness man will not see the inside of JAIL. This is what is making the whole issue of fighting fake products that have even potential to harm people meanigless. So the police what has been the conclusion of this case apart from “destruction” of the sweets which i doubt.
Well done Zambia Police. Please continue with these good works. Make sure that all those who are misusing intellectual property rights are brought to book. Thanks once more ZP
Piracy needs to be fought because it kills of small-scale businesses that are legitimately trying to earn a living. If you look at Zambia small-scale businessmen lift the unemployment burden from formal employers like government and the Mines. The government should be fighting piracy tooth and nail if they want a productive society. Whoever is selling Danny’s album illegally should be locked up for a long time. Guys in the Music and arts industry should start canvassing MPs so that the laws can be enforced.