Prison sentence for distributor of fake Yokohama wheels

The distributor of counterfeit Yokohama racing wheels has been sentenced to time in prison after being found in the possession of more than 1,000 aluminium wheels. The Intermediate People’s Court of Guangzhou, in China’s Guangdong Province, also fined the distributor on 19 August.

Yokohama Rubber filed a complaint and submitted information to the Guangzhou Bureau of Public Security in Guangzhou regarding a distributor of counterfeit wheels that copied Yokohama’s ‘Advan Racing’ wheel design. The distributor sold the counterfeit goods online and through retail shops outside of Yokohama’s official distribution channels. Acting upon the complaint and information provided by the company, the Guangzhou Bureau of Public Security seized over 1,000 counterfeit aluminium wheels on 1 April 2013.

In a statement published on 5 November, the Japanese company wrote: “Yokohama Rubber is resolute in its stance against the infringement of intellectual property rights, including the sale of counterfeit goods. The company will remain vigilant against such illegal activities, whether they occur in Japan or other countries, as part of its efforts to ensure that customers feel secure in using Yokohama products.”