Intelligence Hub helping to tackle IP crime

The Intelligence Hub created by the Intellectual Property Office is helping to combat IP crime‚ it has been claimed.

The sharing of intelligence by enforcement agencies and industry is helping authorities to crack down on intellectual property (IP) crime.

This is the conclusion of a new report by the Intellectual Property Crime Group, which states that new partnerships between agencies are aiding efforts to tackle the problem.

An intelligence hub was created by the Intellectual Property Office following the launch of its IP strategy in 2004 to bring information gathered by various bodies together.

According to the 2008-09 IP Crime Report, the hub has received more than 2,000 intelligence reports regarding IP theft and similar crimes since the beginning of this year.

This is an increase of 120 per cent compared to the same period last year and, according to the Intellectual Property Crime Group, can be attributed to better collaboration between agencies such as the police and trading standards.

Intellectual property minister David Lammy, who published the report, said IP crime presents a serious threat to the prosperity of Britain's businesses and communities.

"It is economic and cultural vandalism that undermines our creators' and innovators' efforts," he stressed.

And he pointed out that other countries face similar dangers, which means nations must work together to combat the intellectual property issue.

IP crime is reported to have netted those involved around £1.3 billion in 2006, some £900 of which flowed into organised crime.

According to the Intellectual Property Office, IP crime can come in the form of counterfeiting, which involves infringement of trademarks, and piracy, which relates to copyright infringement.