Importation of Counterfeit Products: Sentenced to Compensate Polo Ralph Lauren

It is July 27, 2011 as the Customs Service alerted Polo / Lauren Company to capture 614 t-shirts, caps 28, 48 underwear for men and six travel bags marked "Polo", by indicating that these counterfeit products were imported by Mohammad Naushad Tejoo, a Mauritian businessman. 

The American company had then appealed to the Supreme Court, through its legal representative in Mauritius, Geroudis Management Services Ltd.. Polo / Lauren Company claimed damages of Rs 3 million to Mohammad Naushad Tejoo. The latter, represented by Mr. Said Toorbuth, had said there was no evidence to demonstrate that imported products were counterfeit. Furthermore, Mohammad Naushad Tejoo progressed he never used the trademark "Polo". According to Mr. Said Toorbuth, clothing seized were not counterfeit just because his client does not have a permit to import them. 

After listening to the version of both parties, Judge Paul Lam Shang Leen ruled in favor of Polo / Lauren Company. He granted leave to the U.S. company to destroy counterfeit products, in collaboration with the Customs Service, at the expense of Mohammad Naushad Tejoo.

 Judge Paul Lam Shang Leen held that a sum of Rs 50,000 is reasonable since counterfeit products have not landed on the Mauritian market. However, he did not accede to the demand for Polo / Lauren Company to compel Mohammad Naushad Tejoo to publish a statement in the press about the fact that it is not an importer of these products: "I see no reason why the Court should issue such an order. If the complainant (Polo / Lauren Company, ed) believes that such release is important, it is free to do so. "