KARACHI: IPRE South put on hold a shipment of toothpaste packaging bearing the Colgate trademark on suspicion of being counterfeit.

Brand Protection Systems (BPS) analyzed the impugned consignment and confirmed that the Colgate Sensitive Whitening packaging and Colgate Renewal Packaging are counterfeit. BPS confirmed that other variants of Colgate toothpaste in the consignment are also counterfeit.

Chief of Global Brand Protection Colgate Palmolive requested the IPRE South to seize and destroy the consignment.

Colgate Palmolive also sought additional details about the consignment including names and address of the importer and shipper.

Upon directions of Federal Board of Revenue and Director General IPRE Rubab Sikander, Director IPRE South Naima Batool intensified its anti-counterfeit drive by carrying out risk analysis and made cases worth millions.

Counterfeit cosmetics are often riddled with a huge variety of disgusting and toxic ingredients, including (but not nearly limited to): faeces, mercury, lead, cyanide, arsenic, paint-stripper. The danger of fake goods includes chemical burns, rashes and long-term health problems.

The infiltration of counterfeit and pirated products, or IP theft, creates an enormous drain on the global economy – crowding out Billions in legitimate economic activity and facilitating an “underground economy” that deprives governments of revenues for vital public services