During 2012 and so far in 2013, an international campaign against the counterfeiting of audio equipment began, supported by the main manufacturers, who are working hand in hand with the customs authorities of each country to identify the fake products that try to enter.
In addition, manufacturers internally are developing some programs so that installers and end users have the best tools for the recognition of their equipment. In some cases, they are adding a security label and QR code to all their packaging, so they can be scanned and confirm the authenticity of products online.
The international campaign against piracy gave as one of the first results the capture and conviction in the United Kingdom of a counterfeiter, cataloged by the authorities as the largest in this country, prosecuted after installing an audio system with counterfeit equipment in a school and from which they confiscated about 4,000 fake equipment.
In Latin America this situation is minimal. According to conversations I have had with different distributors and installers, the level of piracy is very low and thanks to the medium size of the industry in most countries in the region, everyone knows each other and knows when fake equipment is circulating.
What they do constantly face in Latin America is the arrival of low-quality equipment. One of the distributors in Colombia says that "Someone who wants to earn money travels to Miami or other ports, buys a container full of low-quality audio equipment and brings it to the country. Thanks to the fact that we all know each other quickly, the story is watered and distribution is avoided."
Fortunately, the Latin American AV industry is an increasingly professional market, which guarantees a difficult path for the entry of fake or low-quality equipment into our region.
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