President Bush has signed into law The Stop Counterfeiting In Manufactured Goods Act. The Act, which enjoyed bipartisan support in Congress, closes loopholes which allowed the shipment of fake labels or packaging, which counterfeiters could then attach to fake products in order to cheat consumers by passing off poorly made items as brand-name goods.

The Act further requires courts to order the destruction of all counterfeit products seized as part of a criminal investigation and requires convicted counterfeiters to turn over their profits and any equipment used in their operations. Finally, the Act requires those convicted of counterfeiting to reimburse the legitimate businesses they ripped off.

“The tools in the bill I sign today will become a part of our broad effort to protect the creativity and innovation of our entrepreneurs,” said President Bush in signing the bill. “This administration and Congress have worked together to confront the illegal threat, the real threat of illegal activity such as counterfeiting.”

Also See: Faking It: Buying Online