22 Jewelry Store Owners Across Taiwan Sent for Prosecution Over Alleged Sale of Counterfeit Precious Metal Accessories; Some Indicted

(CNA, reporter Su Mu-chun, Taichung, 9th) The Criminal Investigation Bureau (CIB) has launched an investigation into jewelry stores selling counterfeit trademarked precious metal accessories, bringing in 22 jewelry store owners from across Taiwan and seizing a total of 725 pieces. After police questioning, the entire case was transferred for prosecution for violation of the Trademark Act, and prosecutors have already indicted some of the individuals.

The CIB's Intellectual Property Rights Investigation Brigade stated today that police had received reports of jewelry stores in northern, central, and southern Taiwan displaying and selling precious metal accessories with trademarks such as LV without authorization from the trademark holders. The brigade's second team, along with police from Taichung and Changhua, formed a special task force to collect evidence. After the trademark holders identified the goods as counterfeit, the case was reported to the Yilan, Taichung, and Changhua District Prosecutors Offices for command of the investigation.

Between January and April 2025, investigators conducted searches and seizures at involved jewelry stores in Yilan City and Luodong Township in Yilan County; Central District in Taichung City; Changhua City and Yuanlin City in Changhua County; Puli Township in Nantou County; and Lingya and Sanmin Districts in Kaohsiung City.

Police arrested a total of 22 jewelry store owners and seized 725 counterfeit precious metal accessories bearing trademarks such as CHANEL, Van Cleef & Arpels, LV, and various famous cartoon designs. The total weight reached 75 taels (approximately 2.8 kg), with a preliminary estimated infringement of trademark rights valued at NT$43 million.

Police discovered that most of the seized counterfeit gold accessories were sourced from non-specific individual sellers who came to the stores to peddle their wares. In addition to being displayed and sold in stores, the items were also marketed through e-commerce platforms, leveraging the brand's fame to attract consumer attention and purchases.

Police noted that although some owners claimed that 'the price of gold accessories is based on the weight of the gold, and their value is not increased by using a famous brand logo in their design,' according to the Trademark Act, the determination of trademark infringement does not require the product's value to have increased or to have generated a premium. Although the gold accessories seized in this case were made of real gold, their external design could inevitably lead consumers to mistakenly believe there was an authorization or association with a specific brand, thus constituting a suspected violation of the Trademark Act.

Following police questioning, from the end of last year to the beginning of this year, the 22 involved jewelry store owners were transferred to various district prosecutors' offices for investigation on suspicion of violating the Trademark Act. Some of the involved individuals have already been indicted. (Editor: Chang Ming-kun) 1150609