PIPCU confirms it will still be operating after June

The City of London Police’s Intellectual Property Crime Unit (PIPCU) has confirmed its funding will be continued after June 2019 – despite news reports to the contrary.

The Sun reported that the future of PIPCU was in doubt because plans to secure funding from intellectual property rights holders had fallen through, and government funding only extends through June. In a tweet PIPCU confirmed however that UK Intellectual Property Office (UKIPO) funding will continue after that date.

We're still standing!🕺🎶

Pleased to say that contrary to reports by a #UK #news site, we will still be funded by @The_IPO from June 2019

In 2018 we took down 90% of sites targeted by @Europol's Operation. This funding means we can continue fighting #IP #crime pic.twitter.com/SjMZ4saYSJ

— Police Intellectual Property Crime Unit (@CityPolicePIPCU) January 8, 2019

In November, PIPCU contributed to the Europol-led Operation In Our Sites by suspending more than 31,000 sites distributing counterfeit and pirated items online in partnership with .UK domain registry Nominet.

PIPCU Detective Chief Inspector Teresa Russell (pictured) said in a statement that the unit “has always received two-year rolling funding from the UKIPO,” adding that while this does expire in June “the funding will be extended.” She also said there have been no recent plans for PIPCU to be funded directly by industry.