U.S. and EU officials are promising to crack down on the manufacturing, distribution, and sales of counterfeit computer components after seizing more than 360,000 fake items worth more than $1.3 billion during a two-week period in a joint operation run at the end of 2007. Seized materials bore the trademarks of major manufacturers including Cisco, Intel, and Philips. Officials would not say whether they knew importers were knowingly bringing counterfeit goods into their markets, or whether the problem was limited to only a few factories. However, both U.S. and EU officials agree counterfeiters have become more sophisticated, offering products covering a wide range of industries from computer and telecommunications to aeronautics and cars.
