- The NFPA has ended an India-based operation that was printing counterfeit association publishing
- The investigation targeted a broad counterfeit network that’s reproducing and selling unauthorized NFPA publications.
- The ongoing litigation is still pending
QUINCY, Mass. — The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), in coordination with law enforcement officials in India, disrupted what the association calls “a major operation producing and distributing counterfeit NFPA publications.”
The enforcement action, including a civil raid carried out in late March in the Delhi region, targeted what NFPA has identified as “central players in a broad counterfeit network responsible for reproducing and selling unauthorized NFPA publications through business-to-business marketplaces and other online channels.”
This action is “part of ongoing litigation and remains pending before the court, where the defendants will have the opportunity to respond to NFPA’s allegations,” according to the NFPA announcement.
“Counterfeit codes and standards are not just an intellectual property issue; they are a huge public safety risk,” says NFPA president and CEO Jim Pauley in the association announcement. “NFPA codes and standards are relied upon by engineers, fire service professionals, electrical professionals and others who work to protect people and property every day.
“When counterfeit versions enter the market, users may unknowingly end up with incomplete or inaccurate information. That puts trust, safety and compliance at risk,” he says.
What Did the NFPA Counterfeit Investigation Find?
Based on information gathered during the investigation, authorities seized “a large volume of printing materials, including approximately 1,000 printing plates, and found evidence that NFPA code books and other materials were being actively produced at the time of the raid,” according to the association announcement.
The case “highlights the real-world safety implications posed by counterfeit codes and standards,” the announcement says.
NFPA has encountered “numerous examples of customers who believed they had purchased legitimate publications, only to discover missing pages, poor print quality and other defects that compromised the integrity and use of the product,” according to the announcement.
Pauley also expressed “his deep appreciation” for “the critical assistance” provided by local officials in India, without which this operation would not have been possible.
“This action reflects NFPA’s aggressive commitment to safeguarding the integrity of its codes and standards, which are relied upon globally to support fire, life and electrical safety,” according to the association announcement.
Why Does NFPA Protect Its Publications Around the World?
NFPA “vigorously protects its intellectual property and the public from counterfeit and unauthorized materials,” the announcement says. The raids and seizures in India “mark the latest successes,” following earlier final judgments in the United States against multiple counterfeit operations and related litigation in India, where courts have already issued two preliminary injunction orders in support of NFPA’s claims.
NFPA “will continue to expand its efforts in combatting counterfeit both in the U.S. and globally,” according to the association announcement.
The association develops more than 300 fire, electrical and life safety standards through an open, consensus-based process involving thousands of volunteers. These standards “are regularly updated to address emerging hazards and are used by professionals around the world to safeguard communities,” the association says.
NFPA urges users to purchase publications directly from the association or through authorized sources “to ensure that they are receiving authentic, complete and up-to-date materials.”
