Bengaluru's Whitefield police have filed a case against a company that was selling counterfeit products bearing the logo of luxury fashion house Louis Vuitton. The complaint was filed by an operations manager with Louis Vuitton after finding large quantities of products with the name and trademark of the brand.
The accused company, Brand International, which is named in the complaint, was selling the goods as Louis Vuitton products, the report said. The goods were being sold from a shop in Bengaluru, and the total amount of goods sold was estimated to be several crores of rupees.
The police have registered a case and initiated an investigation into the alleged sale of counterfeit branded goods.
Louis Vuitton Manager Files Complaint
The case came to light after a Louis Vuitton operations manager approached the Whitefield police and filed a complaint regarding the alleged misuse of the company's brand name and trademarks.
Based on the complaint, police investigated the alleged sale of products carrying Louis Vuitton branding. A few items were found at the property, investigators said.
The complaint alleges that the products were counterfeit and were being sold using the luxury brand's identity. Now police are studying how the merchandise was obtained, where it was manufactured, and how it entered the market.
Several Products Reportedly Seized
According to the complaint, the items found included a variety of products bearing Louis Vuitton branding.
The reported items include:
- 18 pairs of shoes
- 75 pieces of innerwear
- 35 shawls
- 1 ladies' handbag
- 5 shirts
- 85 pairs of socks
Several other items purported to carry the brand's name or trademarks.
The scale and variety of the products are now a big part of the police investigation.
They are also investigating the alleged financial value of the merchandise and whether the products were being sold to customers by falsely representing them as genuine Louis Vuitton products.
Case Registered Against Brand International
The police have filed a complaint against Brand International. The probe will also look at the company's business activities and supply chain and sales records, the company said.
Police may even seek to find out if the accused company was aware of the fact that the goods were counterfeit and whether others purchased or distributed the goods.
The investigation could also help to identify the source of the products and identify the channels through which they were supplied to the Bengaluru market.
Counterfeit Goods Investigation
The purported sale of counterfeit luxury goods creates issues of trademark and intellectual property. Brand owners are entitled to sue if trademarked products are allegedly used without permission or counterfeit products are sold under their name.
The complaint by the Louis Vuitton operations manager has caused the Whitefield police to investigate what is seen as misuse of the brand.
Police are currently evaluating the seized merchandise and other evidence in the case. If the products are authentic and if there are trademark infringements, how might they be resolved?
Police Continue Probe
The Whitefield police have registered the case and will continue their investigation. Officers will question people connected to the store and company, look at purchase and sales documents, and trace the source of the alleged counterfeit merchandise.
It will also investigate whether the operation was limited to the shop or not and whether the products were spread to other shops.
When police are done with their initial investigation and the roles of the individuals involved are established, more details will be forthcoming.
At this stage, these allegations are subject to police investigation, and the accused will have the opportunity to respond through the legal process.
