US Seizes Domain Names in Counterfeit Crackdown 25 November 2011

US seizes domain names in counterfeit crackdown 25 November 2011

verycheapjerseys.com and officialpumashop.com.

A visitor to the sites is met with a message reading: "This domain name has been seized by ICE -- Homeland Security Investigations, pursuant to a seizure warrant issued by a United States District Court."

It informs visitors that copyright infringement is a federal crime carrying a penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine, while trafficking in counterfeit goods carries a 10-year sentence and a Ads seen for Cyber Monday sales are displayed on $2 million dollar fine. laptop computers in 2010 in San Anselmo, California. Ahead of Cyber Monday, US authorities have shut down The seizure of the websites, part of a campaign a number of websites in the latest crackdown on online known as "Operation In Our Sites," comes just a trafficking in counterfeit goods. few days ahead of Cyber Monday, the busiest online shopping day of the year in the United States.

US authorities have shut down a number of Many of the sites whose domain names were websites in the latest crackdown on online seized appeared to be offering jerseys or other trafficking in counterfeit goods. apparel from professional US sports teams.

Torrent Freak, a website about the popular In November of last year, also just ahead of Cyber BitTorrent file-sharing protocol, said Friday that Monday, US authorities shut down 82 websites more than 130 domain names had been seized in selling mostly Chinese-made counterfeit goods, an operation it described as the largest yet. including golf clubs, Walt Disney movies, handbags and other items. US Immigration and Customs Enforcement spokeswoman Gillian Christensen declined to Pending legislation in the House of Representatives specify the number of domain names seized but and Senate would give US authorities even more told AFP "these seizures are a part of an ongoing tools to crack down on "rogue" websites accused of law enforcement operation." piracy of movies, television shows and music and the sale of counterfeit goods. "No further details are available at this time," Christensen said. The bills have received the backing of the Motion Picture Association of America, the Recording Torrent Freak published a list of 131 domain Industry Association of America, the US Chamber names which it said had been seized in the past 24 of Commerce and others. hours. But they have come under fire from digital rights They included sites with names such as groups and Internet heavyweights such as reeboksite.com, shopsbag.com, Facebook, Google, Twitter and Yahoo! who say

1 / 2

they raise censorship concerns and threaten the very architecture of the Web.

This document is subject to copyright. Apart from any fair dealing for the purpose of private study or research, no part may be reproduced without the written permission. The content is provided for information purposes only.

2 / 2