5,000 bags of counterfeit rice from India seized by Singapore Customs
More than 5,000 bags of rice imported from India were seized by customs on Thursday (24 November) as the packaging they bore apparently infringed on a Singapore-registered trade mark.
The goods, weighing about 129 tonnes, were confiscated at the Pasir Panjang Terminal following a complaint from the trade mark’s proprietor, Singapore Customs said in a press statement.
Suspecting that the imported rice was counterfeit goods infringing its trademark, the proprietor lodged a notice with Singapore Customs to object to the importation of the goods pursuant to Section 82 of the Trade Marks Act.
Customs subsequently intercepted five 20-foot containers, which contained the rice, after an inspection revealed that their packaging bore a sign similar to the registered trade mark in question.
The trade mark proprietor has confirmed the rice to be counterfeit goods and is taking legal action against the importer of the goods.
