The complex manufacturing and export network that has developed in Asia has made the region a central part of the global supply chain, but this same network has also helped cement China and Southeast Asia (SEA) as the primary source of counterfeits worldwide. In Western markets, fraud detection and enforcement are made easier through effective regulations and responsive platforms. In China and SEA, where counterfeits are most prevalent, the limited enforcement tools that are available are often years behind other countries’ standards and some of these tools may not even be available to foreign companies.

At Eligon, we understand the challenges that Western brands face when going up against these sophisticated infringers and the frustrations when local authorities seem to turn a blind eye. Our team helps to even playing field and ensure that our clients’ brands are protected on the ground, online, and across borders, including in the notoriously difficult Asian markets.

Our international enforcement experts bring years of anti-counterfeiting experience and an understanding of the local landscape to secure wins where others can’t. We assist clients with enforcement throughout the supply chain and handle cases all the way from takedowns of counterfeit listings on e-tail sites, to seizures of goods moving between borders, and even raids of factories and warehouses to stop fakes at the source. We also regularly advise clients on local practices and regulations regarding white-labelling, unauthorized resale, and grey market goods and the actions that may be available in each jurisdiction.

Sometimes clients face infringement not just from one bad actor, but from hundreds of counterfeiters across various platforms. In 2025 alone, our team handled hundreds of anonymous test purchases to confirm infringement followed by targeted takedowns filed with ecommerce platforms to suspend the sellers and remove thousands of listings from the sites. For larger scale sellers, we have also arranged B2B purchases using strawman companies to prevent putting the targets on alert.

Shut It Down

An Ounce of Prevention is Worth a Pound of Cure

Our team believes that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, which is why we work to stop counterfeits before they enter the market whenever possible. We regularly establish and maintain customs recordals throughout the world for our clients, allowing us to ensure that their relevant IP rights are recorded with customs offices to screen and seize products that imitate our clients’ brands without authorization. As a part of this process, we work with local officials to provide training on counterfeit identification, authenticity markers, and commonly encountered criminal strategies. We implement these recordals at both the product source (such as in China, Malaysia, and Vietnam where these goods are often manufactured and exported) and the product destination (such as in the US and EU markets where these goods are often imported). If one of these customs offices flags a shipment based on our recordals, we are notified and can then seize the shipment and destroy it. After the products are seized, we also have the capability to conduct subsequent criminal or civil actions against the infringers within the source countries.

Since our enforcement practice was launched in 2020, it has been led by Eligon’s founding partner Amy Hsiao together with Tyler King, Enforcement Team Lead, who coordinates both the Customs and Enforcement divisions. Under their leadership, our team has built a trusted network of local investigators and fraud specialists, giving our clients unmatched reach and insider expertise in key markets including China, Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia, India, Brazil, Canada, the UAE and more.

To deliver effective and specialized enforcement, our practice is organized into two main groups:

Customs

Global Customs

Managing worldwide vendor updates and recordals to keep IP protection current across jurisdictions.

Education & Reporting

Providing routine training and reporting to ensure customs officials are equipped to identify counterfeits and that clients receive clear visibility into enforcement progress.

Seizure, Reporting & Shipment Release

Coordinating interceptions of counterfeit shipments and reporting outcomes.

Secure the release of legitimate shipments that are mistakenly held up — especially critical during peak seasons like Christmas.

Our goal is not just to stop fakes, but also to maintain supply chain continuity and prevent last-minute “heart attacks” for executives back home in the U.S. who need assurance their holiday shipments won’t be delayed.

Enforcement

China & APAC Enforcement

Handling matters across the region, from onsite investigations and sample purchases, to raid actions, prosecutor engagement, and pre-action discovery.

International Enforcement

Leading enforcement actions globally, including civil injunctions, raids, and police coordination across regions such as Brazil, Germany, and beyond.

FCPA, PR & Special Matters

Advising on compliance, reputational risk, and cross-border complexities that often accompany high-profile enforcement campaigns.

This structured approach allows us to move seamlessly from preventive customs measures to complex, multi-jurisdictional enforcement once a matter escalates into a civil or criminal case. By combining legal precision with practical on-the-ground execution, Eligon ensures that clients’ brands are protected — without unnecessary disruption to their business.