Last year marked a pivotal moment in the ongoing battle against counterfeiting for a leading global technology company. Our anticounterfeiting initiative—launched in 2020 to safeguard the intellectual property of our esteemed client—attained significant milestones in 2024 through a series of coordinated and high-impact operations. These efforts not only removed counterfeit products from the market but also played a crucial role in dismantling extensive counterfeiting networks that threatened the client’s trademarks and market presence.

Targeted Operations Across Turkey

In 2024, our brand enforcement team, in collaboration with law enforcement agencies, executed comprehensive raids and evidential actions across key Turkish cities including Istanbul, Bursa, Diyarbakır, Izmir, Antalya, Samsun, Gaziantep, Mersin, Adana, Eskişehir, Mardin, Konya, Aydın, Afyon, Sivas, and Kayseri. The operations included:

• 41 evidential actions and 33 raid operations were conducted.
• A total of 7,300 counterfeit products—comprising batteries, chargers, phone cases, screens, and smartwatches—were identified and seized. The estimated value of their genuine counterparts is approximately EUR 480,000.
• The disruption of an organized counterfeiting network, effectively halting the future import, sale, and distribution of fake products within the electronics sector.

Intensive Operations Against Counterfeit Smartwatches

Special emphasis was placed on combating high-priced counterfeit smartwatches, with targeted measures that resulted in:

• 15 dedicated operations against counterfeit smartwatches.
• The seizure of 1,186 infringing smartwatches.
• Proactive protection of our client's smartwatch trademarks across both online and offline platforms, ensuring robust defense of intellectual property rights.

Successful Settlements and Legal Actions

Our operational success was further bolstered by strategic legal measures:

• 30 settlements were successfully negotiated, with 22 adverse parties compensating our client for damages incurred due to counterfeit products.
• Counterfeit products were systematically destructed as part of these settlements, thereby preventing any further harm to the market.

Customs and Internet Enforcement

Our comprehensive strategy also extended to supporting customs enforcement and curbing online counterfeit sales:

• 27 customs notifications led to the detection of approximately 28,000 counterfeit goods.
• Swift criminal actions were initiated in response to 19 seizure notices, demonstrating our rapid response to legal violations.
• Attended customs trainings in Ankara, Black Sea, and Istanbul which strengthened the nation's battle against counterfeiting.
• Infringing links of 1,000+ were removed from e-commerce platforms with effective take-down actions, contributing to a safer online marketplace.

Conclusion:

The successes of 2024 mark a significant turning point in the fight against counterfeiting. Through strategic enforcement, legal actions, and targeted operations, we have not only disrupted counterfeit networks but also reinforced our client’s market position. As counterfeit products decline, consumer trust and brand integrity continue to strengthen. We remain committed to staying ahead of counterfeiters and ensuring a fair, secure marketplace for the future.