Comments on: Saudis Lose $4 Billion on Counterfeit Goods http://xrdarabia.org/2007/11/18/saudis-lose-4-billion-on-counterfeit-goods/ Informed comment and commentary about Saudi Arabia, reform, and its relations with the US Wed, 23 May 2012 23:26:18 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: John Burgess http://xrdarabia.org/2007/11/18/saudis-lose-4-billion-on-counterfeit-goods/comment-page-1/#comment-7270 John Burgess Sun, 18 Nov 2007 19:18:42 +0000 http://xrdarabia.org/2007/11/18/saudis-lose-4-billion-on-counterfeit-goods/#comment-7270 It depends on the particular embassy. Some have DEA offices, some have FBI. Usually, since its a matter of Intellectual Property Rights and Trade, the matter is handled by the US Dept. of Commerce. Sometimes the Dept. of Agriculture might get involved. Justice (apart from the FBI), Customs (now part of Homeland Security), and various offices related to medicine might also be the active agent. Ambassadors and Public Diplomacy are all deeply involved in the issue, but of course have no enforcement capabilities. It depends on the particular embassy. Some have DEA offices, some have FBI. Usually, since its a matter of Intellectual Property Rights and Trade, the matter is handled by the US Dept. of Commerce. Sometimes the Dept. of Agriculture might get involved.

Justice (apart from the FBI), Customs (now part of Homeland Security), and various offices related to medicine might also be the active agent.

Ambassadors and Public Diplomacy are all deeply involved in the issue, but of course have no enforcement capabilities.

]]> By: Solomon2 http://xrdarabia.org/2007/11/18/saudis-lose-4-billion-on-counterfeit-goods/comment-page-1/#comment-7267 Solomon2 Sun, 18 Nov 2007 19:10:52 +0000 http://xrdarabia.org/2007/11/18/saudis-lose-4-billion-on-counterfeit-goods/#comment-7267 The criminal who hit on the idea of counterfeiting rectal medication is extremely clever: the cost of the real thing is quite high, and the chance of anyone detecting the fraud right away is low - it's not like anyone is going to sniff or taste it. I'm even worried that someone might try to push this stuff in the U.S. through cross-border Internet sales. Do State Dept. officials investigate such things, or do the FBI and DEA have their own people in U.S. embassies to handle it? The criminal who hit on the idea of counterfeiting rectal medication is extremely clever: the cost of the real thing is quite high, and the chance of anyone detecting the fraud right away is low – it’s not like anyone is going to sniff or taste it.

I’m even worried that someone might try to push this stuff in the U.S. through cross-border Internet sales. Do State Dept. officials investigate such things, or do the FBI and DEA have their own people in U.S. embassies to handle it?

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