Two new seizure and forfeiture orders issued

April 26, 2019

The USITC has issued two new seizure and forfeiture orders on behalf of Epson as part of investigation 337-TA-946.

Both orders were issued on 22 April 2019.

The first regards “ink cartridges and components thereof” which were being imported into the United States by LD Products, Inc and were denied entry by Customs as they are “covered by a general exclusion order”.

Customs informed the USITC as well as “the owner, importer, or consignee of the articles (or agent of such person) with written notice” of the general exclusion order “and the fact that seizure and forfeiture would result from any further attempt to import the articles into the United States.”

As a result, the USITC issued the seizure and forfeiture order.

This is not the first time this year that LD Products has found itself in hot water with an OEM; in March, Canon brought an action against the company for patent infringement, declaring its demand for a jury trial.

The second seizure and forfeiture order issued by the USITC concerns “certain ink cartridges and components thereof” which were being imported into the U.S. by UPS Ontario. Again, Customs intercepted the cartridges and denied entry, before informing both the importing company and the USITC, prompting the issuance of the order.

Both seizure and forfeiture orders were served by Lisa R. Barton, Secretary to the Commission.