Intelligence-led Offline Operation with WRi

A complete brand protection strategy

Identifying and enforcing infringement online is a vital part of any Brand Protection strategy. However, many companies will also require an offline component. Corsearch partners with offline investigators in key regions around the world to ensure that we can assist your entire strategy from end-to-end.

Who is WRi?

One of our offline investigators is the UK-based company WRi. They specialize in anti-counterfeiting & anti-piracy investigations and assist their clients by reducing the threat of Intellectual Property (IP) crime, fraud, money laundering and other shadow economy activities.

They have a reputation for delivering results and have partnered with some of the world’s largest brands, providing them with reactive and proactive on-the-ground defence, from the end customer up through the supply chain. Corsearch will provide WRi with details about infringers, and they will then run test purchases and conduct further investigation before potentially raiding and closing down criminal operations.

Shutting down a large-scale operation

WRi worked with a market-leading, global electronics company who were suffering from a large-scale counterfeiting issue. This issue went beyond lost revenue as there was a health and safety risk around counterfeited electronic goods which could cause major reputational damage.

WRi utilized Corsearch’s brand protection technology to identify the infringer through image and web searching. They were prioritized as a target based on their low-priced repair services in which they used suspected counterfeit parts and the promotion of wholesale parts. Corsearch was also able to identify multiple infringing eBay listings connected to them and this lead to the infringer’s eBay store where their contact details were identified, including physical location.

Raiding the premises

WRi took this information and liaised with external public-sector partners (Police, Trading Standards and Border Force), from whom they received notice of a shipment of counterfeit goods heading to the trader. After further investigation that the company was a large-scale importer and seller of counterfeit goods, WRi raided the premises with the authorities.

The raid was successful and led to the confiscation of over 9,000 counterfeit and potentially unsafe items.

An examination of the premises also revealed links to a supplier based in Hong Kong which has led to a further investigation. Additional contact details have since been identified, along with location of the Hong Kong premises and the confirmed association between the two entities, as well as their director’s UK residential address. The trader is currently being prosecuted and to our knowledge no longer trading in counterfeit stock.

Leading brand protection technology

Corsearch’s brand protection technology is the market leader at identifying targets and cleaning up online spaces, and this technology is also instrumental in supporting offline work. For further information about how Corsearch’s technology and expertise can you take down large-scale criminal networks, talk to one of our experts today.