JOINT AGENCY OPERATION TO COMBAT INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY THEFT

Orlando, Florida - Today, representatives of the Kissimmee Police Department (KPD), Osceola County Sheriff's Office (OCSO), Internal Revenue Service (IRS), Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), United States Attorney's Office (USAO), Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and several local law enforcement agencies joined forces to simultaneously execute 18 federal search warrants in 11 Florida cities. The law enforcement activity was the result of a joint intellectual property theft investigation conducted by the KPD, OCSO, IRS, ICE, USAO, FBI and private sector alliances.

On March 26, 2008, Omar Amaziane, 30 years old; and Abdessamad Farih, 31 years old, residents of Kissimmee, Florida were indicted by a federal grand jury in the Middle District of Florida for their involvement in trademark infringements.

The related searches were conducted in Orlando, Kissimmee, Sanford, Melbourne, Rockledge, Palm Bay, Deltona, Port Charlotte, Fort Pierce, Deland, and Vero Beach, Florida. The searches involved numerous businesses, a private residence, commercial storage facilities, vehicles, and bank accounts.

The public is reminded that an indictment is merely a formal charge that a defendant has committed a violation of the federal criminal laws, and every defendant is presumed innocent until, and unless, proven guilty.

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