Multinational Information Technology company, HP, has raised alarm that about 12 million products counterfeits and components have been seized by local authorities across Europe, Middle East and Africa in the last five years.
Glenn Jones, Director, Global Anti-Counterfeit Programme at HP, revealed this in a statement on Monday in Lagos.
Jones added that HP had partnered with Nigeria Police to stop the sales of over 54,000 counterfeit goods, which included ready for sale fraudulent toners and ink cartridges.
The director said that the Nigeria Police, with the assistance from HP Nigeria, discovered a massive operation selling counterfeit cartridges for HP printers.
The company said that as a result, the police worked with HP specialists to raid multiple retail and workshop premises in Lagos.
The statement said that the Nigeria Police further carried out separate anti-counterfeiting raids in Enugu, Jigawa, Kaduna, Kogi, Lagos states, and the FCT.
Jones said: “We are very proud of our ongoing partnership with the Nigerian authorities to help safeguard our consumers and partners from illegal, fraudulent activity, as well as working together to bring counterfeiters to justice in Nigeria.
“The successful removal of counterfeit products from the Nigerian market is a testament to HP’s unwavering efforts and commitment to protecting our customers, and the continued success of our anti-counterfeiting and fraud programme.
“Counterfeiting is a crime. For users, such illegal imitations can cause a multitude of problems that can lead to performance and reliability issues.
“In this kind of scenario, if our customers’ printer breakdown because of using counterfeit ink or toner, they may have difficulty with the manufacturer’s warranty becoming applicable,”Jones said.
The director said that in contrast, original HP products were designed to meet HP’s strict quality and reliability standards, based on a long history of research, development and testing.
Jones said that original HP LaserJet and HP inkjet cartridges, unlike counterfeits, benefit from superior performance and consistent results.
The director said that through HP’s Anti-Counterfeit and Fraud (ACF) Programmes, the company actively educates its customers and partners to be vigilant against fake printing supplies.
According to him, the company also cooperates closely with local and global law enforcement authorities to detect and dismantle illegal operations that produce counterfeit HP printing components. (NAN)
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