Militia Official Says 90% of Consumer Goods in Russia Counterfeited

According to the statement made on the air in a Militia Wave radio programme by Nikolai Bobkov, Deputy Head of Russia's militia's Economic Crimes Department, 90% of all consumer goods sold in Russia are counterfeited. Mr. Bobkov asserted that most counterfeited goods were imported. For instance, he said, counterfeited electrical appliances and software came from South-East Asia; perfumes, cosmetics, and toys - from China. Once counterfeited products cross the border, they are sold by locals. Foods, cloths, shoes, domestic chemistry goods, medicines, audio and video products are counterfeited more often than other goods.

This is why the Ministry of Interior is making its priority struggling against criminal groups specializing in counterfeited goods. Over 2,000 crimes of this kind, especially concerning the illegal sale of intellectual property, have been uncovered over the year 2002. Moscow, St. Petersburg, and the Leningrad, Sverdlovsk, Ryazan, and Yaroslavl regions are affected by such crimes the most as the closest to borders and having the densest populations, international ports, and various markets.