Counterfeit chainsaws intercepted, destroyed

By PISAI GUMAR
EIGHTEEN counterfeit chainsaws imported from China and bound for Wewak were intercepted in Lae by Customs officers and destroyed.
The PNG Customs Service referred the fake items to UMW Niugini Ltd which distributes chainsaws to investigate.
It was confirmed that they were fake and similar to products Customs officers had incepted last October the same product imported from same company in China.
UMW Niugini Ltd branch manager equipment division Meck Tongon said the chainsaws were of low quality and had less energy.
The 79 chainsaws destroyed last October had the STIHL brand name on them and sent to two foreign-owned companies in Lae and Wewak.
PNG Customs Service Commissioner Ray Paul said UMW Niugini Ltd and Bishop Brothers were the only two major licensed distributors for STIHL products in the country.
“Anybody distributing such goods in the country without a license infringes intellectual property rights – in this case, it is the owner of the STIHL trademark,” Paul said.
STIHL manager key accounts sales and export Andrew Batson flew in to Lae from Knoxfield in Victoria, Australia and confirmed they were counterfeit products.
“These chainsaws are counterfeit, originated from China contradicting STIHL Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) Australian colour code for chainsaws and violates the trade mark,” he said.