2004年侵犯知识产权“十大案件”

国家保护知识产权工作组办公室公布2004年侵犯知识产权“十大案件”

　　1月11日上午，国家保护知识产权工作组办公室向媒体公布了2004年侵犯知识产权“十大案件”。

　　这十大案件分别是：广州市雅诗兰黛化妆品有限公司名称侵权案、深圳温鸿家私实业公司和宏辉皮具厂假冒“路易威登”注册商标案、深圳东莞一团伙假冒美国思科技术公司注册商标案、上海松江区一窝点假冒“阿迪达斯”注册商标案、扬州苏鳄服饰公司假冒“鳄鱼”注册商标案、南京“9.26”特大侵权盗版案、Guthrie（顾然地）犯罪团伙跨国销售侵权复制品案、辽宁省7.15特大盗版光盘案、北京中新联公司和天津民族光盘公司盗版微软公司产品案、宜宾丝丽雅公司专利维权案。

　　在经济全球化不断加快的形势下，对知识资源的创造、占有和运用，已成为一个国家取得竞争优势和提升综合国力的关键因素；保护知识产权不仅是我国坚持对外开放、改善投资环境、维护国家形象的需要，更是我们民族进步、经济发展自身的需要。中国政府高度重视并切实加强知识产权保护工作，成立了吴仪副总理为组长的国家保护知识产权工作组，在全国部署开展了为期一年的保护知识产权专项行动，建立了与外商投资企业定期沟通协调机制，积极探索建立统一、高效、协调的保护知识产权执法协作机制，出台了旨在降低侵犯知识产权犯罪刑事制裁门槛的“关于办理侵犯知识产权刑事案件具体应用法律若干问题的解释”。

　　去年以来，各级各部门按照国务院的统一部署，突出保护商标权、著作权、专利权等内容，各司其职，协同配合，狠狠打击了侵犯知识产权违法犯罪的嚣张气焰，查办了一批重大案件。在不断加大打击力度的同时，也加大了宣传教育力度，开展了“保护知识产权宣传周”等一系列活动，并注重引导企业自主维权，取得了明显成效。以上“十大案例”是国家保护知识产权工作组办公室在有关部门提供的几十个案件中选出的，具有国际影响大、涉案数额高、案情复杂等特点。如，假冒路易威登商标案涉案总价值4000余万元人民币。南京“９．２６”特大侵权盗版案涉及的出版社15家，印刷厂28家，销售涉及全国15个省市的上百家经营单位。

　　新的一年，我国将进一步深化保护知识产权专项行动，结合新出台的《关于办理侵犯知识产权刑事案件具体应用法律若干问题的解释》，加强保护知识产权行政执法与刑事执法的衔接，进一步加大侵犯知识产权违法犯罪行为的打击力度。国家保护知识产权工作组办公室将进一步坚持完善重大案件督办制度，以知识产权权利人反映强烈、情节严重、影响恶劣的重大侵权案件为突破口，统筹协调加大保护知识产权工作力度。

2004年侵犯知识产权“十大案件”

　　　　　　　　　　　　　广州市雅诗兰黛化妆品有限公司名称侵权案

　　2004年3月，全国整规办、工商总局组成联合工作组，对广州市雅诗兰黛化妆品有限公司名称侵权案进行了现场督办。

　　广州市雅诗兰黛化妆品有限公司是在广州登记注册的一家民营企业，成立于2000年8月，主要经营化妆品、美容美发产品。该公司把已经在我国合法登记注册的国际品牌“雅诗兰黛”作为自己企业名称的主体部分，并生产相同或相似的产品，外方对此反映强烈。联合工作组与广州市工商局执法人员在对其所在地进行检查时，发现其宣传资料上有明显的“雅诗兰黛”字样及“公司依托国际知名品牌”、“让我们看到一个国际知名品牌在中国落地、生根、发芽”等文字，欺骗和误导消费者的动机十分明显。执法人员当场查扣涉嫌侵权的商品标识和虚假宣传品12170份。 　　广州市工商局根据《企业名称登记管理规定》和《企业名称登记管理实施办法》的有关规定，责令该企业变更企业名称，删除产品标识和宣传材料上的“雅诗兰黛”字样并不得以任何相近似的中文名字来代替。同时，根据《中华人民共和国商标法实施细则》规定，对该公司处以20万元人民币的罚款。此前，该公司于2001年10月、11月、2002年5月、2003年10月分别因涉嫌仿冒雅诗兰黛公司产品的侵权行为受到当地工商行政管理部门的行政处罚。

　　　　　　　　　　　　深圳两公司假冒“路易威登”商标案

　　2004年3月，深圳市公安局会同工商部门侦破一起假冒“LV” （路易威登）商标案，当场查获假冒“LV”箱包387箱近4000件、大量半成品及一批制假机器设备，涉案总价值4000余万元人民币。

　　“LV”是在我国注册的世界知名品牌，其箱包仅在法国和西班牙生产。2004年3月22日，法国路易威登马利蒂公司向深圳市公安局报案，称宝安区有多个厂家生产假冒“LV”品牌箱包，将有一批货物于当晚运往外地报关出口。接报后，深圳市公安局当晚即会同工商部门，对位于宝安区观澜镇的深圳市温鸿家私实业有限公司（负责假冒箱包成品包装和运输）、宏辉皮具厂（负责半成品的生产）依法进行检查，查获正在装货准备外运的假冒“LV”箱包及半成品、制假机器设备等，抓获犯罪嫌疑人唐某、罗某。

　　　　　　　　　　　深圳东莞某团伙制售假冒美国思科技术公司 　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　注册商标案

　　2004年10月，深圳市公安局、工商行政管理局、质量技术监督局，与东莞警方联合行动，一举打掉一个制造假电脑模块的团伙，端掉设于深圳、东莞的制假窝点11处，现场抓获涉案犯罪嫌疑人20余名，查扣约合人民币2000多万元的涉案物品。

　　此前，深圳市公安局经侦支队根据群众举报，经过艰苦细致的摸查，掌握了该制假团伙长期在深圳、东莞两地制售假冒思科公司电脑模块等犯罪事实，摸清了参与犯罪活动的人员情况及其制假窝点、中转仓库、存储仓库、包装窝点、分销窝点所在地和汽车等作案工具情况。10月13日下午，两地警方百余名干警及深圳市质监、工商部门执法人员在两地联合行动，查获该团伙委托东莞通天鼎电子科技公司生产带有“CISCO SYSTEMS”字样加“双峰”图案商标的集成电路模块11609块、假冒思科“CISCO”注册商标标识10万多个、包装盒26887个、说明书4749本、集线器3205台、集线器前面板625台、路由器2台、调码机2台、捷达小汽车1台。经审查，该案主要犯罪嫌疑人朱某某、李某、郑某某、卢某某和王某某(均依法予以刑拘)对犯罪事实供认不讳。

　　　　　　　　　　　　上海某地假冒“阿迪达斯”注册商标案

　　2004年6月，上海市松江区公安局侦破一起假冒“阿迪达斯”注册商标案，缴获假冒阿迪达斯运动鞋827箱计9924双，阿迪达斯运动鞋鞋帮150包计30000双，阿迪达斯运动鞋鞋垫35包计35000双，阿迪达斯鞋模48只及打包机一台，总价值500余万元人民币。

　　2004年6月16日，该局经侦支队获报：本区小昆山镇有一生产假冒“阿迪达斯”运动鞋的窝点，日产量3000多双，专销境外。该支队迅速调集精干警员组成专案组，制定了周密的行动计划：参战人员分两组行动。第一组直接前往生产窝点，以检查外来人员登记情况为名，观察生产现场，并在外围布置警力，伺机配合行动。第二组同时前往该窝点负责人暂住地，对其实施秘密控制。行动中，第一组侦查人员迅速查明该窝点正在生产假冒商品并有大量库存，随即通知外围警力进行查控，当场缴获假冒阿迪达斯运动鞋、鞋帮、鞋垫、鞋模及打包机等一大宗物品。第二组侦查员则将犯罪嫌疑人张海当场抓获。经审讯，张海原系个体生产户，2004年2月起受聘于温州老板潘某，专门负责生产假冒阿迪达斯运动鞋，货源、销售均由老板遥控指挥。目前，张海、温某分别被判处有期徒刑7个月、9个月，并各处罚金2万元。

　　　　　　　　　　扬州苏鳄服饰公司假冒“鳄鱼”注册商标专用权案

　　2004年2月23日，江苏省扬州市工商局邗江分局根据投诉，对扬州苏鳄服饰有限公司“苏鳄”商标侵犯法国拉科斯特衬衫股份有限公司“鳄鱼”注册商标专用权一案进行查处，现场查获大量标有“鳄鱼”图形和SUE组合的商标衬衫、领带、标识及包装盒等物品一大宗，案值40余万元人民币。

　　经查，从2002年4月至2004年2月，扬州苏鳄服饰有限公司共生产带有“鳄鱼”图形和SUE组合的商标衬衫6094件、领带580条。其中大部分已经销售或赠送。执法人员现场查扣了剩余的1822件衬衫、333条领带及带有上述标识的衬衫包装盒5000只、礼品袋200只、领带包装盒900只、商标标识3100只、吊牌3400只。

　　根据《中华人民共和国商标法》第五十二条、《中华人民共和国商标法实施条例》第五十二条之规定，江苏省扬州市工商局邗江分局于2004年4月9日对该公司作出行政处罚：责令立即停止侵权行为；没收并销毁依法扣留的侵权物品；罚款25万元。

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　南京“9.26”特大侵权盗版案

　　2004年11月11日，南京市鼓楼区人民法院对总案值2800余万元的南京“9.26”特大侵权盗版案做出一审判决：被告人钟山犯侵犯著作权罪，判处有期徒刑四年，处罚金200万元；犯非法经营罪，判处有期徒刑七年，并处没收个人财产100万元。决定执行有期徒刑十年，处罚金200万元并处没收个人财产100万元。以侵犯著作权罪，判处钟家内（钟山之父）有期徒刑3年，缓刑5年，并处罚金200万元。以侵犯著作权罪、非法经营罪，判处南京新华教科教软件开发有限公司、南京灏月彩色印刷有限公司罚金共1000万元。

　　2002年9月，江苏省版权局接到举报，南京灏月彩色印刷有限公司正在非法印刷人民教育出版社出版的《高中语文读本》，立即会同省扫黄办组织执法人员前往位于南京市白下区石门坎的厂区进行突查，现场查封扣押了105种、43万册盗版图书教材、170多张用来印制图书的胶片及电脑等有关证据，初步掌握了钟山、钟家内等人涉嫌侵权盗版的事实。

　　为彻查此案，江苏省版权局、“扫黄”“打非”办和公安部门成立“9.26”专案组，调查表明：钟山系南京新华教科教软件开发有限公司的法定代表人，钟家内系南京灏月彩色印刷有限公司生产、经营的主管责任人。自2000年年底开始，钟山在灏月公司以及其他印刷厂，大量盗版和非法复制人民教育出版社出版的中小学教材、教辅图书，并通过没有出版和发行资质的新华公司，向全国多个省市销售；假冒中国青年出版社等名义非法出版发行中小学教辅图书，以新华公司之名通过南京图书联合批销中心经理张某（另行处理），以该中心名义分别与一些出版社签订图书出版、销售合同，买卖书号，非法进行图书出版、发行活动。两年间，钟山非法出版、印刷和发行的品种就达300多种，涉及的出版社15家，印刷厂28家，销售涉及全国15个省市的上百家经营单位，其作案时间之长、品种之多、数量之大、涉及面之广、案情之复杂前所未有。

　　　　　　　　　　　　Guthrie犯罪团伙跨国销售侵权复制品案

　　2004年6月至7月，上海市公安局经侦总队在公安部经侦局的直接领导、指挥下，与美国国土安全部移民和海关执法局(ICE)密切协作，成功破获了以美国公民(中文名：顾然地)为首的跨境销售侵权复制品案，涉案金额200多万元人民币。

　　2004年4月，公安部经侦局将ICE驻北京办事处转来Guthrie在沪涉嫌贩卖盗版DVD的案件线索转给上海市公安局。该局经侦总队立即成立专案组，进行了为期两个月的侦查，掌握了充足的犯罪证据。7月1日，专案组果断采取行动，一举抓获了以Guthrie为首的全部8名犯罪嫌疑人，捣毁3个盗版DVD存放窝点，缴获21万余张盗版DVD，大量邮寄包裹和7台电脑等犯罪工具，冻结涉案赃款人民币22万余元、美金6.7万余元。

　　经审讯得知，自2002年11月起，犯罪嫌疑人Guthrie等人在上海通过网络接受境外客户的订单，境外客户则以信用卡转帐汇款、西联汇款等方式付款，以每张3美元的价格销售盗版DVD影碟片。至案发，该团伙已累计向境外销售盗版DVD影碟片18.6万余张，非法获利合202万元人民币。

　　　　　　　　　　　　辽宁“７、１５”特大盗版光盘案

　　2004年3月19日，辽宁省沈阳市公安局一举抓获了涉嫌盗版犯罪嫌疑人王金声和同案犯宋春东、刘春水。至此，案值200余万元，近年来东北地区最大的“7、１５”盗版光盘案全线告破。

　　2003年6月，一音像制品企业向辽宁省文化厅举报：沈阳金声音像店大量经营带有该厂版号的盗版光盘，并已成为当地的批销源头。辽宁省文化厅遂与沈阳市公安局经侦支队联系，进行了缜密的侦察和调查取证工作，掌握了店主王金声等人涉嫌犯罪的大量证据。7月15日，执法人员对金声音像店及其4个仓库进行了检查，现场查扣盗版光盘近50万张，抓获了王金声之妻子宋某及部分涉案人员。随后，又根据宋某的供述，起获了藏匿在另一仓库内的7万余张盗版光盘。

　　店主王金声和同案犯宋春东、刘春水闻讯而逃。沈阳市公安局在采取紧急搜捕措施的同时，当日将情况报公安部。公安部将此案列入部级督办案件，将王金声列入网上追逃的重点对象，全国通缉。法网恢恢，疏而不漏。经过公安部门艰苦细致的工作，3名犯罪嫌疑人最终被抓获，并移送检察机关。

　　　　　　　　　　　　北京天津两公司盗版微软公司产品案

　　2004年6月，美国微软公司向国家版权局投诉，称北京中新联公司和天津民族光盘公司未经著作权人授权，非法复制该公司享有著作权的“联想操作系统恢复光盘”，请求国家版权局对两家公司进行处罚。

　　国家版权局接到投诉后，立即展开调查。经查，北京中新联公司自2001年11月至2003年6月以签订合同等形式接受北京燕京天保影视文化中心的委托，复制“联想操作系统恢复光盘”55000张，非法获利10405元。天津民族光盘公司于2002年以签订合同及接受订单的形式同方晓军科技有限公司的委托，复制“联想操作系统恢复光盘”4000张。上述两公司在复制光盘时均未得到软件著作权人的授权，侵犯了微软公司的著作权。

　　根据《计算机软件保护条例》第二十四条的规定，国家版权局给予北京中新联公司罚款8万元、没收违法所得10405元的行政处罚；给予天津民族光盘公司罚款1万元、没收非法所得600元的行政处罚。

　　2004年11月5日，非法委托复制微软软件的吴军、韩明、吴小军等人分别被海淀区人民法院以非法经营罪判处6个月拘役到1年有期徒刑不等的处罚，并处5000元到15000元不等的罚金。另一委托人陈富强也已经被抓获并批捕。

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　宜宾丝丽雅公司专利维权案

　　截止2004年10月，四川宜宾丝丽雅公司通过专利行政执法协作机制，与山东潍坊海龙股份有限公司等侵犯其“半连续离心机每锭多离心缸及其控制结构”实用新型专利的5家企业签订了专利许可实施合同或和解协议，获得侵权赔偿和许可实施费1046万元。该案的成功解决，为我国专利行政协作执法提供了有益的经验和借鉴。

　　2002年初，丝丽雅公司发现山东海龙等国内近20家同行纺织企业未经许可，擅自使用其“半连续离心机每锭多离心缸及其控制结构”专利技术，形成群体侵权态势，使其蒙受巨额经济损失。

　　在警告无效的情况下，丝丽雅股份有限公司首先向四川省知识产权局提出了与山东潍坊海龙股份有限公司专利侵权纠纷调处请求。经审查，被请求人住所地和侵权行为发生地均不在四川行政辖区内，四川省知识产权局无管辖权。但根据“十六省市联合执法协作协议”的规定，四川省知识产权局先行受理此案，并移送到有管辖权的山东省知识产权局。在两省知识产权局的共同协调下，双方当事人达成了和解协议：请求人同意以普通许可的方式许可被请求人实施该专利技术，许可实施费为350万元。此后，丝丽雅公司又与其他4家侵权企业签订了专利许可实施合同或和解协议，其他侵权企业的侵权纠纷问题也正在陆续协商解决。

Top Ten IPR Infringement Cases in 2004

　　 Trade Name Infringement by Guangzhou Estee Lauder Cosmetics Ltd.

In March 2004, the Joint Working Group established by the National Office of Rectification and Standardization of Market Economic Order and the State Administration for Industry and Commerce supervised and urged the handling of the case of trade name infringement by Guangzhou Estee Lauder.

Guangzhou Estee Lauder Cosmetics Ltd. was a private enterprise registered in Guangzhou in August 2000. Its main line of business was cosmetics and beauty and hair care products. The aforementioned company used “Estee Lauder”, an international brand name legally registered in China, as the main part of its trade name, and produced identical or similar products, to which the foreign party of the case reacted strongly. The Joint Working Group and the law enforcement team of the Guangzhou Bureau of Industry and Trade detected, in their field investigation, the following wordings and expressions in Guangzhou Estee Lauder’s promotional materials: “Estee Lauder”, “Our company has close association with internationally renowned brand names”, and “It demonstrates the landing, rooting and budding of a world-famous brand name in China.” It was quite evident that the intention was to cheat and misguide consumers. The law enforcement team checked and detained 12,170 copies of trademark labels suspected of infringement and falsified promotion materials.

Pursuant to relevant provisions of the Regulations on the Administration of Enterprise Name Registration and the Implementing Measures on the Administration of Enterprise Name Registration, the Guangzhou Bureau of Industry and Commerce ordered the aforementioned enterprise to change its name, to delete the words of “Estee Lauder” from its product labels and promotional materials, and not to replace them with any similar Chinese names. Meanwhile, according to the Implementing Rules of the Trademark Law of the People’s Republic of China, the company was charged a fine of RMB 200,000. Prior to that, the company had received administrative penalties for being suspected of counterfeiting the products of Estee Lauder in October 2001, November 2001, May 2002 and October 2003 respectively.

　　　Registered Trademark Counterfeiting of LV by Two Shenzhen Companies

In March 2003, the Shenzhen Bureau of Public Security, together with relevant industry and commerce authorities, investigated and solved a case of trademark counterfeiting of LV, and seized 387 cases of 4000 counterfeited LV luggage and bags, a large number of semi-finished products, and equipment for producing counterfeits, involving a total value of over RMB 40 million.

LV is a world famous brand name, and has registered in China. LV bags are produced only in France and Spain. On March 22, 2004, Louis Vuitton Malletier reported to the Shenzhen Public Security Bureau that several enterprises in the Bao’an District that produced counterfeited LV luggage and bags were going to ship a batch of such products out of Shenzhen for customs declaration and export. Upon receiving the information and on that very night, Shenzhen Public Security Bureau, together with relevant industry and commerce authorities, conducted lawful check on Shenzhen Wenhong Co. Ltd. and Honghui Leather Products Co. Ltd., of which the former was engaged in the packaging and shipping of counterfeited bags, and the latter was the producer of semi-finished products, seized counterfeited LV luggage and bags, semi-finished products and equipment for producing counterfeits, and arrested two suspects, Tang and Luo.

Registered Trademark Counterfeiting of Cisco by a Gang of Counterfeiters in Dongguan,Shenzhen

In October 2003, the Public Security Bureau, the Industry and Commerce Administration, and the Bureau of Quality and Technical Supervision of Shenzhen, and the police force of Dongguan carried out a joint action, unearthed a gang of producers of counterfeited computer modules, sealed up 11 locations in Shenzhen and Dongguan for producing counterfeited goods, detained 20 suspects, and confiscated case-involved articles of over RMB 20 million.

Prior to the action, based on reports from the public, the Economic Crime Investigation Squad of the Shenzhen Bureau of Public Security had made painstaking investigations, learned the criminal facts of this gang of counterfeiters’ producing and selling counterfeited Cisco computer modules in Shenzhen and Dongguan, as well as other specific information regarding the people involved in the criminal activities, underground workshops producing counterfeits, transit warehouses, storage warehouses, packaging locations, distribution outlets, vehicles, etc. On the afternoon of October 13th, over 100 policemen from both Shenzhen and Dongguan and the law enforcement team from the Bureau of Quality and Technical Supervision and the Bureau of Industry and Commerce of Shenzhen carried out a joint action in Shenzhen and Donguan respectively, and seized 11,609 integrated circuit modules bearing the words of “CISCO SYSTEMS” and the trademark pattern of “Shuangfeng”, over 100,000 counterfeited CISCO labels, 26,887 package boxes, 4,749 copies of specifications,3,205 hubs, 625 front board, 2 routers, 2 barcode machines and a Jetta. Main suspects of the case, namely, Zhu, Li, Zheng, Lu and Wang, confessed to the crimes, and have been put under criminal detention according to law.

Registered Trademark Counterfeiting of Adidas in Shanghai

In this case solved by the public security bureau in Songjiang District, Shanghai in June 2004, which involved infringement of the “Adidas” trademark, 827 cartons or 9,924 pairs of counterfeit Adidas sports shoes, 150 bags or 30,000 pairs of shoe uppers, 35 bags or 35,000 pairs of shoe cushions, 48 shoe molds and one packer with a total worth of over 5 million RMB were brought into seizure.

On June 16, 2004, the bureau followed the lead provided by its investigation division that an illegal production facility in Xiaokunshan Township in its jurisdiction was making counterfeit Adidas sport shoes with a daily production of over 3,000 pairs for exports. A special taskforce on the case was immediately formed of competent investigators and policemen and a meticulously thought-out operation plan was developed. The taskforce was divided into two teams. One team was sent directly to the illegal production facility. Some members went into the production facility posing as mobile population registrants. The others stayed on alert outside the facility, waiting for further calls. At the same time, the other team found and secretly surrounded the temporary residence of the prime suspect. In further actions, the team members who went into the facility undercover discovered ongoing illegal production and inventory of counterfeit goods on the site. They called their colleagues in right away, who seized the above-mentioned list of items. On the other scene, the other team had taken Zhang Hai, the prime suspect, under arrest. After interrogation, Zhang, formerly a private shoe-maker, confessed that he was hired in February 2004 by his Wenzhou boss, a man by the name of Pan, to take charge of illegal production of Adidas sport shoes while material supply and distribution were remote-controlled by Pan.

Zhang and Pan were respectively sentenced to 7 and 9 months of imprisonment and each fined 20,000 RMB.

Registered Trademark Counterfeiting of “Lacoste” by SUE Clothing Company of Yangzhou

On February 23, 2004, Hanjiang branch of the local Administration of Industry and Commerce in Yangzhou, Jiangsu Province, acting on complaints, launched investigations into the case concerning franchise infringement of the “Lacoste” registered trademark of Lacoste Shirt Co. Ltd of France by “SUE” trademark of Yangzhou SUE Clothing Company. The Administration uncovered a large quantity of shirts, ties, tags and packing boxes bearing “Lacoste” graph juxtaposed with the mark of “SUE”, valued at over 400 thousand RMB yuan.

As later investigation revealed, from April 2002 to February 2004, Yangzhou SUE Apparel Company has produced a total of 6,094 shirts and 580 ties bearing the “Lacoste” graph together with the mark of “SUE”. The majority of the products have been sold or given as gifts. The law enforcement officials confiscated on the spot the remaining 1,822 shirts, 333 ties and 5,000 shirt boxes, 200 gift bags, 900 tie boxes, 3,100 trademarks and 3,400 tags bearing the above mentioned mark and graph.

In accordance with Article 52 of the Trademark Law of PRC and Article 52 of The Implementing Rules of the Trademark Law of PRC, on April 9, 2004, the Jiang Branch of Yangzhou local Administration of Industry and Commerce decided on the administrative penalty for SUE company, including a mandated cease of all infringement activities, confiscation and destruction of infringing products and a fine of 250 thousand RMB yuan.

Extremely Severe 9.26 Piracy Case in Nanjing

On 11th Nov 2004, the first instance by the people’s court of Gulou District in Nanjing sentenced Zhong Shan, the defendant, 4 years of imprisonment and a fine of 2 million yuan for copyright infringement crime, and 7 years’ jail and confiscation of 1 million yuan personal property for the crime of illegal business operation. The court decided to execute 10 years’ imprisonment, 2 million yuan’s fine and 1 million personal property confiscation. Zhong Jianei (Zhongshan’s father) was also deemed as a copyright violator and was sentenced 3 years in jail with 5 years on probation and a fine of 2 million yuan. Nanjing Xinhua Jiao Ke Jiao Software Development Co., Ltd. and Nanjing Haoyue Colorful Printing Co., Ltd. were both convicted of copyright violation and illegal business operation and were fined 10 million yuan.

In September 2002, at receiving the report that Nanjing Haoyue Colorful Printing Co, Ltd. was illegally printing High School Literature Textbook published by People’s Education Press, Jiangsu Copyright Bureau immediately organized the law enforcement staff to raid on the factory located in Baixia District in Nanjing together with the provincial porn purging office. At the spot, 105 items and 430,000 volumes of pirated books as well as more than 170 films used for printing were seized with other relevant evidence including computers, thus the bureau preliminarily obtained the fact that Zhong Shan and Zhong Jianei were suspected of engaging in piracy.

In order to investigate the case thoroughly, Jiangsu Copyright Bureau, anti pornographic and illegal publications offices and public security department jointly established a special group on this case. The investigation showed that Zhong Shan was the legal person of Nanjing Xinhua Jiao Ke Jiao Software Development Co., Ltd., and that Zhong Jianei was the responsible person in charge of the production and operation of Nanjing Haoyue Colorful Printing Co. Ltd. Since the end of 2002, Zhong Shan had pirated and illegally copied large quantity of middle and primary school textbooks and supporting teaching materials published by People’s Education Press. These books were sold in many provinces and cities through Xinhua Company without publication qualification. Zhong Shan also published primary and middle school supporting teaching materials in the name of China Youth Press. Through Zhang (dealt with separately), manager of Nanjing Book Joint Wholesale and Distribution Center, he signed contracts on book publication and sales with some publishing houses, traded book numbers, and illegally published books. In just two years, the variety of his publication and printing totaled 300 odd items, involving 15 presses and 28 printers with the sales covering about 100 units in 15 provinces. The time span, involved variety and quantity, scope and complication of this case all bear an unprecedented nature.

Cross-Border Sales of Pirated Duplications by Guthrie Criminal Gang

From June to July of 2004, under the direct leadership and guidance of the Department of Economic Crime Investigation (DECI) of the Ministry of Public Security (MPS) and thanks to its close cooperation with ICE of the United States, the Economic Crime Squad of Shanghai Public Security Bureau (PSB) successfully uncovered the case concerning the cross-border selling of pirated duplications headed by U.S. citizen Guthrie, involving as high as more than two million RMB yuan.

As of April 2004, DECI of MPS has forwarded leads underlining the suspected sale of pirated DVDs by Guthrie in Shanghai to the local PSB, having received them from the Beijing Office of ICE. The Economic Crime Squad of Shanghai PSB lost no time in setting up a specific task force to initiate investigations lasting for the ensuing two months, during which sufficient criminal evidences were gathered. On July 1, the task force launched a resolute action, arresting all eight suspects headed by Guthrie, storming three deposit points of pirated DVDs, confiscating 210 thousand pirated DVDs, a large number of mail packages and seven computers among the other criminal utilities and froze the accounts of illegal income valued at 220 thousand RMB yuan and 67 thousand US dollars respectively.

It is learned after interrogation that starting from November 2002, the suspects including Guthrie, based in Shanghai, had been accepting online orders from overseas customers. Each pirated DVD was sold at a price of three US dollars while the overseas buyers effectuated payment through such means as credit card transfer and West Union remittance. By the time the case was unearthed, this criminal gang has sold a total of 186 thousand pirated DVDs to overseas buyers, amassing illegal profit to the tune of 2.02 RMB yuan.

Massive Optical Disc Piracy in Liaoning Province, July 15

On March 19, 2004, the Public Security Bureau (PSB) of Shenyang, Liaoning Province has put under arrest criminal suspects of piracy Wang Jinsheng and accomplices Song Chundong and Liu Chunshui. This put an end to the case of optical disc piracy coded “July 15”. With a case value as high as two million RMB yuan, it is the biggest of its sort in northeast China during the recent years.

In June 2003, a business entity operating audio visual products submitted information to the Liaoning Provincial Bureau for Cultural Undertakings, alleging that Shenyang Jinsheng Audio Shop were stocking and selling in large quantity pirated optical discs imprinted with forged serial number of the informing enterprise while already serving as the source of local wholesale distribution. Provincial Bureau of Cultural Undertakings rightly communicated the information to the Economic Crime Squad of Shenyang PSB. The latter gathered substantial evidence proving the criminal activities of the shop owner Wang Jinsheng and other suspects through carefully planned and meticulously executed investigation and collection. On July 15, law enforcement officials initiated search of the Jinsheng Audio Shop and its four warehouses, uncovering and confiscating nearly 500 thousand pirated discs on the spot while arresting Wang Jinsheng’s wife Song and some suspects. Later on, acting on the information confessed by Song, they have unearthed another 70 thousand pirated optical discs that were stashed away in yet another warehouse.

Smelling foul, shop owner Wang Jinsheng and accomplices Sun Chundong and Liu Chunshui took to their heels. While launching emergent searches, the Shenyang PSB reported the development to the Ministry of Public Security (MPS). MPS listed this case into the category mandating ministerial supervision and issued a national arrest warrant for Wang Jinsheng by posting him online as amongst the most wanted escaped criminals. The law’s finely-woven meshwork is ubiquitous and overwhelming. After arduous and earnest efforts by the relevant agencies for public security, the three suspects were captured and transferred to the prosecuting authority in the end.

Two Beijing and Tianjin Companies Pirate Microsoft Products

On June 2004, Microsoft Corporation made a complaint to the State Copyright Bureau, accusing Beijing Central Press Union Co., Ltd. and Tianjin Minzu Compact Disc Company of illegally copying the “Legend Operating System Recovery Disk” without authorization from the copyright holder. Microsoft holds the copyright of the “Legend Operating System Recovery Disk”.

Upon receiving the complaint, the State Copyright Bureau immediately started investigation. According the investigation, Beijing Central Press Union, entrusted by Beijing Yanjing Tianbao Film and Culture Centre in the form of contract, made 55,000 copies of the “Legend Operating System Recovery Disk” from November 2001 to June 2003, making illegal profits of RMB10, 405 yuan. Tianjin Minzu Compact Disc Company, entrusted in the form of contract by and receiving the orders from Fang Xiaojun Science and Technological Company, made 4,000 copies of the “Legend Operating System Recovery Disk” in 2002. The above-mentioned two companies copied the compact discs without the authorization from the software copyright holder and thus violated the copyright of Microsoft Corporation.

In accordance with Article 24 under the “Regulation on the Protection of Computer Software”, the State Copyright Bureau gave Beijing Central Press Union an administrative penalty of RMB80, 000 yuan and confiscated all its RMB10, 405 yuan of illegal earnings; gave Tianjin Minzu Compact Disc Company an administrative penalty of RMB10,000 and confiscated all its RMB600 yuan of illegal earnings.

On 5 November 2004, Wu Jun, Han Ming, Wu Xiaojun, etc. who illegally entrusted the companies to copy the discs were convicted of doing illegal business operations and were given penalties ranging from 6 months in detention to 1 year imprisonment. They were also fined RMB 5,000 yuan to RMB 15,000 yuan respectively. Another entrusting person, namely Chen Fuqiang, was also captured and apprehended with approval.

The Case of Yibin Grace Co., Ltd. Patent Protection

By Oct 2004, through patent administrative enforcement coordination system, Sichuan Yibin Grace company signed contracts or settlement agreements on patent licensing of application with 5 enterprises including Shandong Weifang Hailong Co. Ltd., that had violated its new patent, and obtained 104.6 million yuan in compensation for patent infringement and licensing implementation. The successful settlement of this case provided helpful experience for China’s patent administrative enforcement coordination.

At the beginning of 2002, Grace found that almost 20 domestic textile enterprises including Shandong Hailong used its patented technology of “semi-continuous centrifugal spinning machine and its control structure” without licensing. The infringing companies formed a trend of group violation, inducing tremendous economic loss on Grace.

Under the circumstances where the warning did not take effect, Grace Co., Ltd. first petitioned the Intellectual Property Office (IPO) of Sichuan Province to look into the patent dispute case it had with Shandong Weifang Hailong Co., Ltd. According to investigation, the IPO of Sichuan Province did not have jurisdiction in the case because neither the residence of the petitioned or the location where the violation took place was within the administrative jurisdiction of Sichuan. However, according to the “Law Enforcement Coordination Agreement of Sixteen Provinces and Municipalities”, Sichuan IPO first accepted the case and then transferred it to the IPO of Shandong Province. With the concerted efforts of the IPOs of the two provinces, the two parties in question reached the following agreement: the petitioner agreed to permit, by way of general licensing, the petitioned to apply the patented technology at an license fee of RMB 3.5 million yuan. After that, Grace Co., Ltd. signed patent licensing contracts or settlement agreements with four other violators. Settlement with other violators is also under way.