HANOVER, Germany — ContiTech announced this week that roughly 19,500 counterfeit drive belts and packaging with ContiTech labeling were seized by customs authorities in Malta and then destroyed upon release by the courts. The counterfeits entered the Mediterranean country along with other automotive aftermarket fakes via container shipment.
“To underscore our determination to rigorously pursue product piracy, we took legal action in this matter at our own expense and had the fakes destroyed,” said JÜrgen Grefe, head of automotive aftermarket sales in the ContiTech Power Transmission Group. At the beginning of November the counterfeits were tossed into a gigantic shredder that then spit them out as rubber shavings. 
At right: The shredder spits the fakes out as useless rubber shavings.
Recently ContiTech stepped up its efforts to curtail trade in product forgeries. The company intends to send a strong message, also in the interest of consumer protection. “As a rule phony products are not made of the same material and do not exhibit the same quality workmanship as ContiTech drive belts. If a belt tears, this could result in costly engine damage," notes Grefe.
The cargo of counterfeits found in Malta came from China. The manufacturer and dealer of the copies, however, remain unknown to date.
“The shipping documents did not provide sufficient information on the origin and addressee. Once a court-ordered waiting period elapsed, the belts and packaging could be destroyed," said Florian Schleifer from the patent department at Continental AG.
This is second victory ContiTech has won this year in its fight against product forgeries. Prior to this incident, a dealer and a general importer in Taiwan were ordered by the court of last resort to make damage payments. The court had found them guilty of dealing in about 4,500 phony V-ribbed belts and approximately 13,000 faked boxes – still empty – done up in the ContiTech design.
