Technology solution deployed in an effort to thwart counterfeiters

24th January 2014 By: Anine Kilian - Contributing Editor Online

Australian-developed track and trace system Authenticateit became an official partner of the World Customs Organisation (WCO) in September last year. Authenticateit is now Interface Public-Members (IPM) connected and the technology is working with the WCO in its ongoing effort to combat illicit trade and the growing threat it poses to society and the economy. Real Time
IPM is the WCO’s online tool used to identify and thwart counterfeiters. It enables rights-holders, faced with the counterfeiting of their brands, to exchange information with field customs officers in real time.

“The new version of the IPM tool integrates two major technical developments – a handheld mobile device and the ability to interface IPM with authentication and traceability solutions companies,” states IPM project manager, Benoît Goyens.

He notes that the collaboration between Authenticateit and the WCO will give customs officers on-the-ground access to information that can help identify questionable shipments before they progress through the supply chain.

“One of the biggest challenges customs officers face when checking goods at borders is determining whether the goods are genuine. Often, the shipment is not sent by the brand owner, which requires a brand representative to inspect the goods in person,” he explains, adding that this process not only causes delays but also incurs significant costs for the brand owner and customs.

Authenticateit founder and CEO Gennady Volchek says that this collaboration equips field customs officers with an option to scan a product’s barcode using the IPM mobile device to instantly call on data from the Authenticateit database to identify and verify counterfeit or unauthorised shipments.