From a business standpoint, in my practice, I see this all time. I can't help but think it is going to be a serious problem with the United States. About a month ago, I was asked by one of our clients to register their trademarks with our border authority so that we could help them in seizing goods as they came in. I wrote them a letter about how we could do absolutely nothing for them because we had no enforcement mechanism.
I met with a fellow last week at the International Trademark Association meeting, and he was absolutely astounded that we have no border enforcement mechanisms.
I would like to say another thing too, to give you another angle on this. I do some work for a foreign-based slot machine company. They make gaming technology, and their machines are in the casinos here in Canada. I was told by them that knock-off slot machines are not a big problem for them in Canada because we're highly regulated here. However, they are a huge problem for them in South America, in countries like Colombia, Peru, Argentina, as well as in the former Soviet states in Eastern Europe.
However, Canada did not escape their eye, because they've discovered knock-off machines in Colombia that are being sold into the marketplace by organized drug cartels. When they looked at those machines, they found out where the circuit boards are manufactured. I don't have to tell you that they are manufactured here in this country, which makes you wonder how knock-off circuit boards are getting into Colombia. There has to be an organized crime connection to that.
I am speculating here. Perhaps it's transferring value back for drug deals into Canada. I don't know that as a fact, but it just makes me wonder why we're finding Canadian EPROMs in Colombia.