Customs plays their match in Brazil 2014

By Gabriel Pittaluga, Pittaluga Abogados

Not only the players called by coach Oscar Washington Tabárez have begun training for Brazil 2014 World Cup, also the National Customs Direction of Uruguay (DNA for its Spanish acronym) is starting a tune-up so as to get to Brazil in really good shape.

As we approach the start of soccer´s most important stage, the amount of counterfeit goods of FIFA trademarks and those relating specifically to the World Cup Brazil 2014 dramatically increases.

Regarding this background, "Operation Tiger" has been launched with the mission of preventing in all Latin American countries the entry of counterfeited goods associated with the World Cup. In coming days a Uruguayan DNA agent will travel to Panama to receive special training for the correct implementation of "Operation Tiger" measures.

Martín Pittaluga, partner of Pittaluga Abogados, firm that represents FIFA in Uruguay, expressed the concern of the body in its fight against counterfeiting. "We are in constant contact for this topic with our client and the DNA in order to prevent the entry of Brazil 2014 counterfeited goods to Uruguay. We are a big soccer nation and if Uruguay qualifies to the World Cup the country will become an important destination market for this type of merchandise”.

In this case Uruguay needs to cover a double area: Montevideo has one of South America´s major destination ports but is also used as a gateway transporting merchandise to Brazil and Argentina by land through Paraguay and the vulnerable Tri-Border Area (TBA).

Preparation for Brazil 2014 is beyond pitches and footballs, Uruguayan Customs is playing its own World Cup and, with collaboration of Intellectual Property Firms, the chances of winning are high.