Stop trade in fake gear

By JACK AMI
THE Papua New Guinea Rugby Football League is concerned that counterfeit PNG Kumuls, PNG Hunters and PNG Orchids merchandise are being sold in Port Moresby and other centres.
PNGRFL chairman Sandis Tsaka said the league’s official distributors for its merchandise were Jack’s of PNG and Brian Bell, who paid royalties to PNGRFL.
The National was invited by PNGRFL to locate and confirm the sale of counterfeit merchandise in Port Moresby and found that certain shops in the city were trading in cheap copies of Kumuls, Orchids and Hunters merchandise.
The paper found that counterfeit merchandise was being sold at several shops across the city.
Shop owners refused to comment on the merchandise being sold.
Tsaka said PNGRFL would lodge a formal complaint with the police to stop the shops from selling the counterfeit merchandise.
“These brands and products are trademarks of the PNGRFL and registered with Investment Promotion Authority,” he said.
Tsaka appealed to businesses to stop selling the unauthorised merchandise or they would face prosecution.
“They should respect our country’s laws and operate their businesses honestly and not import fake or counterfeit products and sell them in their shops and on the streets.”
He said while the PNGRFL trademarks were being profited from by these businesses, the quality was also compromised.
He said while a supporter’s shirt sold for K44 at the authorised distributor, the counterfeit would be sold for K15.
He said PNGRFL was also missing out on revenue when customers opted to buy the cheaper version.
Tsaka said the PNGRFL and its trademarks were not the only products being copied and sold in the country.
He said other sports brands as well as iconic local brands and images were being used to make products without the owner’s consent.
Tsaka said previously, a group of offending businesses were targeted and had their owners arrested and charged by authorities in 2015 and things had been gone quiet for several years but businesses had started trading in these counterfeit items again.