Seen and heard: counterfeiting news in brief

Pakistan starts online registry for cardiac stents

The Islamabad-Drug Regularity Authority Pakistan (DRAP) has launched an online system for registration of cardiac stents to try to prevent counterfeit products reaching patients, reports The Nation newspaper. Under the new rules all importers of cardiac stents must register their company and products with DRAP, and the information will be matched to the medical facility and patient via a restricted access database. So far some 38 companies and 40 stent products have been registered in the system. The move comes after DRAP has been criticised for not doing enough to curb the trade in illicit medical devices.

Dangers of counterfeit Oakley sunglasses highlighted

A club cyclist from Essex in the UK has said he was almost blinded after suffering severe facial injuries in a crash whilst wearing counterfeit Oakley sunglasses. Jamie Maidment told Cycling Weekly he had purchased a suspiciously cheap pair of Jawbreaker sunglasses on AliExpress as he was reluctant to risk one of his genuine pairs, which typically cost upwards of £150 a pair. After crashing wearing the £15 knock-offs, the sunglasses shattered causing lacerations that narrowly missed his right eye.

5-Hour Energy counterfeiters gets seven-year stretch

The owner of a wholesale distribution company who pleaded guilty to involvement in the sale of counterfeit 5-Hour Energy drinks has been sentenced to seven years in jail and ordered to pay more than $550,000 in restitution to the drink's maker Living Essentials Ltd. Walid "Wally" Jamil – who ran Midwest Wholesale Distributors - will also serve three years of supervised release in the judgment, which comes after the plaintiffs were awarded a $10m civil judgment against him. Last year, Joseph and Adriana Shayota were found guilty for their role in the scam, but Jamil is the first to be sentenced from the large counterfeiting ring, according to lawfirm PBWT which represented Living Essentials.

More counterfeit Bitzer compressor oils discovered

German refrigerator compressor company Bitzer has warned counterfeit refrigeration oils which can lead to equipment breakdowns have been discovered in Vietnam and Korea, according to a Cooling Post report, which notes that a 2015 investigation uncovered fake oils in Russia. The company says it has investigated the counterfeiting and expressly warns customers against the possible risks associated with their use as "the viscosity characteristics, moisture content and chemical formulation are very different from the original products" and they could "lead to insufficient lubrication of compressors, chemical reaction, destruction of elastomers and thus to great damage."