• March 3, 2008

Philip Morris USA filed a lawsuit in federal court last week in the Central District of California against Nice Pak Products, Inc. of Orangeburg, N.Y. The lawsuit is aimed at stopping the importation, distribution, and sale of counterfeit cigarettes and the unauthorized use of Philip Morris USA's trademarks.

This suit arises from a seizure by the U.S. Bureau of Customs and Border Protection at the Port of Los Angeles on August 24, 2007. Nice Pak Products was listed on Customs' Notice of Seizure as the importer of record of 26,900 cartons of counterfeit Marlboro cigarettes.

"Trafficking in counterfeit cigarettes is illegal, and we do not want our trademarks misused," said Charlie Whitaker, vice president, Compliance and Brand Integrity, Philip Morris USA. "This represents the latest in a series of actions we are taking to protect our brands and the law abiding businesses that sell them from unfair competition."

--Nina M. Lentini