Turn Back Crime, the campaign developed by international policing body Interpol to raise awareness on how transnational organized crime such as international counterfeiting can affect the general public on a daily level, has received the 2015 Media Award from the Global Anti-Counterfeiting Group (GACG).
Since its launch last year, the campaign has reached out to police, the private sector and general public worldwide, to raise awareness of the dangers of counterfeit goods.
Speaking at a ceremony on World Anti-Counterfeiting Day (24 June 2015) at the headquarters of the Union des Fabricants in Paris, Interpol’s campaign chief Roraima Andriani said: “The success of the Turn Back Crime campaign is the fruit of a truly international collective effort. Through the campaign, we have worked to create a global alliance, engaging all sectors of society to fight crime and terrorism. The strength of the campaign lies in the fact that each country has been able to tailor it to address the crimes that affect it most. From Asia to Africa to Europe to the Americas, police forces are using the campaign in different ways to explain to their citizens how to stay safe.”
Examples
In Africa, Namibia’s President personally launched the campaign with a message to citizens not to purchase fakes. Both Rwanda’s Police Chief and Minister of Gender and Family Promotion used the campaign to inform Rwandans about domestic violence.
In the Americas, INTERPOL’s National Central Bureau in Washington is working with STOPfakes.gov to advise businesses and consumers about the value of intellectual property rights for innovation, investment and economic development. Trinidad & Tobago is using the campaign to help schools recognize and prevent bullying.
In Europe, Slovenia is using the campaign to raise awareness about the trafficking of counterfeit goods through maritime borders, and Austria is using it to warn citizens on the risks from buying potentially counterfeit medicines online.
Europol’s Intellectual Property Crime Unit – Focal Point (FP) COPY, was the winner of the 2015 Global Anti-Counterfeiting Group Awards – International Public Body Category. FP COPY was established in 2008. Recent operations launched, coordinated or supported by FP Copy include the operation OPSON, a joint INTERPOL Europol operation against counterfeit food and beverages, and the Operation In Our Sites, tackling the online sales of counterfeit goods, and Operation PANGEA, an Interpol-led operation against counterfeit medicines on the internet.
