July 9, 2012

On July 9, 2012, PIR received two seizure warrants from the U.S. National Intellectual Property Rights Coordination, Homeland Security Investigations Center. Department of Homeland Security (DHS), issued by the US District Courts for the District of Colorado and the Western District of Texas. The warrants were based on affidavits by agents of the DHS and order the seizure and civil forfeiture of three domain names: BABYCARRIERGO.ORG ERGOBABYOUTLET.ORG LOUISVUITTONONLINEOUTLETUS.ORG. Pursuant to the instructions of the DHS, PIR transferred the registrations to specified IP addresses. The .ORG domains now resolve to web sites established by the DHS with a message that they have been the subject of seizure. The legal authority for the seizure is two sections of the US Statutes, Criminal Code, that provide for seizure and forfeiture of property used in violation of the criminal provisions of copyright and trademark law.