intellectual property crime

The piracy or counterfeiting of goods such as digital media, luxury fashions, pharmaceuticals, electronic goods, and other manufactured goods. For organized criminals, the crime can be highly profitable and only a small investment is necessary in many cases. Intellectual property crime occurs on a global scale making it more difficult for authorities to contain and prosecute. Advances in current technologies make it much easier for production and manufacturing of 'knock-off' products and the quality is good enough to make it difficult for consumers to tell the difference.