Philip Morris USA Filed Counterfeit Cigarette Case
RICHMOND, Va. -- Philip Morris USA (PM USA) filed a lawsuit in the Central District of California in federal court last week against Nice Pak Products Inc., located in Orangeburg, N.Y., the company stated.
The suit by PM USA came as a result of an Aug. 24, 2007, seizure by the U.S. Bureau of Customs and Border Protection at the Port of Los Angeles, when Nice Pak was allegedly listed on a Notice of Seizure as the importer of record of 26,900 cartons of counterfeit Marlboro cigarettes, the company stated.
"Trafficking in counterfeit cigarettes is illegal, and we do not want our trademarks misused," Charlie Whitaker, vice president of compliance and brand integrity for PM USA, said in a statement. "This represents the latest in a series of actions we are taking to protect our brands and the law abiding businesses that sell them from unfair competition."
The suit by PM USA came as a result of an Aug. 24, 2007, seizure by the U.S. Bureau of Customs and Border Protection at the Port of Los Angeles, when Nice Pak was allegedly listed on a Notice of Seizure as the importer of record of 26,900 cartons of counterfeit Marlboro cigarettes, the company stated.
"Trafficking in counterfeit cigarettes is illegal, and we do not want our trademarks misused," Charlie Whitaker, vice president of compliance and brand integrity for PM USA, said in a statement. "This represents the latest in a series of actions we are taking to protect our brands and the law abiding businesses that sell them from unfair competition."