Iraq prime minister orders crackdown on trademark violations

By QASSIM ABDUL-ZAHRA
Associated Press

BAGHDAD (AP) — Iraq’s prime minister has ordered a crackdown on local businesses operating under the names of international brands without legal permission. That’s according to a statement from the premier’s office on Wednesday. The Associated Press reported last week that Iraq has become a major center of trademark violations and piracy. In one prominent example, a chain of fake Starbucks has been operating under the international coffee company’s logo in Baghdad. Starbucks filed a lawsuit in an attempt to shut down the trademark violation, but the case was halted after the owner allegedly threatened lawyers hired by the coffee house.