Cisco Systems makes some of the best enterprise networking on the planet. Its best products are those used in enterprise applications, and I have personally had my hands on a ton of Cisco equipment in my 16 years working at Fermi National Lab. In July 2022, we reported on Cisco counterfeiters selling their goods on Amazon and how they got caught. Now, Amazon’s Counterfeit Crimes Unit has helped law enforcement nab three more criminals.
Estimated reading time: 3 minutes
Amazon’s Counterfeit Crimes Unit is a global team dedicated to partnering with law enforcement, brands, and other stakeholders to disrupt counterfeiters and their networks. The Counterfeit Crimes Unit (CCU) takes direct action against bad actors, either through civil lawsuits or criminal referrals to law enforcement agencies worldwide. You can learn more about this unit here.
According to Amazon:
“Three co-conspirators pleaded guilty in federal court this month to crimes related to the sale of counterfeit Cisco products in stores across the retail industry, and they now face years of jail time and significant restitution and fines. These guilty pleas are the result of the government’s investigation and a referral from Cisco and Amazon’s Counterfeit Crimes Unit (CCU).”
“From 2017 through 2021, the bad actors ran a wide-ranging operation that focused on the sale of counterfeit Cisco networking devices that they procured through illicit suppliers based in China. In May 2021, federal agents raided the bad actors’ warehouse in New Jersey, and the government has alleged that it seized more than 7,000 counterfeit devices that, if genuine, would be worth more than $13 million.”
“These guilty pleas are a testament to what we are able to accomplish when brands, law enforcement, and Amazon work together,” said Kebharu Smith, director of Amazon’s CCU. “Counterfeiters are beginning to see that if you attempt to defraud brands, Amazon, or our customers, the consequences are severe. We continue to express our gratitude for the collaboration with Cisco and the work of the Department of Justice.”
Sounds to us like Amazon and the Counterfeit Crimes Unit are not taking these issues lightly. Cisco Systems plays an important role in enterprise and government networking. The potential for counterfeits to show up on sensitive networks could be a security issue, so it makes sense why Amazon has taken a hard stance on this.
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