NOA announces three new seizures of counterfeit Game Boy Games in China. Also, more news about Lik Sang's dealings with Nintendo. Nintendo Bolsters Anti-Piracy Seizures in China; Current Raids Build On Record-Setting 2002 Efforts
REDMOND, Wash.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Feb. 11, 2003--Nintendo of America Inc. today announced three new seizures of counterfeit Game Boy(R) games in the People's Republic of China, expanding its record to 135 anti-piracy raids against separate illegal manufacturers and retailers in that country alone in 2002.
The January raids netted more than 300,000 pirated pieces of Game Boy(R) Advance packaging, manufacturing components and counterfeit versions of current best sellers including Pokemon(R) Ruby and Pokemon(R) Sapphire. In addition, three workers were found hiding inside shipping boxes for fear of being caught by the Chinese authorities for their involvement in counterfeit activities.
The raids targeted Guangdong Bu Bu Da Electronic Co., Ltd., Asik Technology, Ltd., and Electronic Dragon Ltd., all in China's Guangdong Province. Nintendo seized one million counterfeit products in 2002, and estimates the counterfeiting of software cost the company, together with its publishers and developers, $649 million in lost sales worldwide last year.
"Nintendo has never been more aggressive in protecting our unique global brand and our key intellectual properties and China can expect the largest share of our attention again in 2003," says Jodi Daugherty, director, anti-piracy, Nintendo of America Inc.
Last year, in communications with the Office of the U.S. Trade Representative, Nintendo identified the region of Hong Kong and the countries of China, Mexico and Paraguay as failing to adequately protect the company's intellectual property rights. Over the year, seizures were conducted in each of these nations, as well as 14 others.
The most significant raid in 2002 occurred in September at the Lik Sang International plant in Hong Kong, where the company manufactured a device called the Flash Advance Linker, which allowed users to make unlimited copies of Game Boy software products.
Also, in a separate action last October, Nintendo was awarded $1.5 million in damages and an order allowing destruction of all manufacturing and assembly equipment seized at an illegal counterfeit facility in Panama.
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