Fake HP printers intercepted

HP has announced that it has supported Ghanaian authorities, who intercepted 20,000 fake supplies and components for HP printers being transported to Africa from Asia.

HP and customs authorities successfully acted at the country’s largest sea-port in Tema, where officials intercepted three suspicious consignments about to enter the country on their way from South-East Asia.

In total, they seized nearly 7,000 fake ready-for-sale print cartridges for HP printers as well as about 13,000 counterfeit boxes, fake security labels and empty print cartridges intended to be used for manufacturing counterfeits.

“HP appreciates the work of the Ghanaian authorities in protecting consumers against the deceitful and illegal actions of counterfeiters,” said Geoff Eyles who led the HP Anti-counterfeiting Investigations and Enforcement team.

“We are proud that HP played a vital role in supporting local law enforcement authorities by identifying the seized items as counterfeits on-site and gathering valuable intelligence on the consignors and intended recipients.”

He continued, “We welcome the Ghanaian Customs Authorities’ commitment to pursuing and prosecuting illegal counterfeiters, whose products contain unknown chemicals which damage printers and could harm the environment. We believe that the intelligence gathered through this seizure will aid further actions against counterfeiting in Africa.”

Original HP supplies distinguish themselves by their superior quality and reliability at competitive prices. Authentic HP LaserJet and HP inkjet print cartridges, unlike counterfeits, benefit from a history of investment and testing to provide superior performance and consistent results.

Across EMEA, over the last four years HP has conducted nearly 1,000 investigations, resulting in over 800 enforcement actions (raids and seizures by authorities) and nearly nine million units of counterfeit products and components seized; thus preventing them from being sold in the EMEA marketplace and beyond.

Through its Anti-counterfeiting Programme, HP actively educates its customers and partners to be vigilant against fake printing supplies. It also cooperates closely with local and global law enforcement authorities to detect and dismantle illegal operations that produce counterfeit HP printing components.