Products fake, Apple’s India rep seeks action against Kochi shops

KOCHI: Knockoffs, especially those of tech products, flood the markets almost instantly after the launch of any new product. And they are sold like hot cakes with the full knowledge of buyers who just want a product that looks like exactly the original, works almost the same, but costs less than half.However, Apple Inc is having none of it. An agency representing the US tech giant has approached the Kochi police demanding action against two shops in the city selling knockoffs of Apple products like chargers, airpods and cable.

The Ernakulam Central and South police stations have registered cases against the shops, one at Pallimukku and the other at MG Road near Padma, based on the complaint filed by S Maniaravinth, an investigation officer with Griffin Intellectual Services Pvt Ltd, a Mumbai-based firm that represents Apple Inc in India.

The complaint was submitted before the Ernakulam ACP, who directed the SHOs concerned to register an FIR and launch a probe. “Investigation officers of the Mumbai firm travel across India to detect sale of fake products using Apple’s logo. They visited two stores in Kochi selling fake products like batteries, chargers, headphones, cables and mobile phone covers. We have registered cases and launched a probe,” said a police officer.

The police have registered cases under Sections 486 (Selling goods marked with a counterfeit property mark) and 420 (cheating) of the IPC. They will search the shops and godowns soon and also book the accused persons under the Copyright Act, 1957. “We will check whether other shops in the city are selling fake products too, where these cheap copies are manufactured and who is supplying them to the shops,” said an officer.

COST OF KNOCKOFFS
Knockoffs are a cheap and sometimes illegal copy of a popular, more expensive product. As per a report on US customs seizures, fake AirPods cost Apple around $3.2 billion in 2021.