May 15, 2024
In mid-2023, Croatian Customs notified us regarding the seizure of a significant quantity of knives—specifically, 70 boxes containing a total of 18,240 pieces, weighing over one ton —bearing a striking resemblance to those manufactured by our client, FRIEDR. DICK GMBH & CO. KG, a renowned German cutlery manufacturer.
Photo of the seized product (detail)
Established in 1778. FRIEDR. DICK & CO. KG holds a prominent position as a market leader in Europe and North America, particularly in the production of butcher knives and tools.
The intercepted shipment, originating from China and destined for Bosnia, raised suspicions of counterfeit infringement upon inspection at the Croatian border. Upon confirmation from our client of the counterfeit nature of the goods, we promptly initiated formal proceedings for Customs protection and subsequently petitioned for the destruction of the infringing items. In this instance, our communication primarily involved the distributor rather than the importer, who legally holds primary responsibility.
Reports from Customs dating back to 2018 have consistently identified China as the primary source of counterfeit goods entering the EU.
Our swift collaboration with our client and local customs authorities successfully prevented counterfeit goods from infiltrating the market and lead to the destruction of the counterfeits – which we achieved in February of 2024.
Our current focus revolves around formulating strategies to secure reimbursement for storage costs and exploring legal avenues against both the local distributor and Bosnian importer for infringement of our client’s intellectual property rights.
