Administrative complaints. A report to the market regulation authority or the IP administration authority, which can investigate and confiscate infringing goods. Relatively quick and inexpensive, but it does not generally produce compensation.
Civil litigation. The only route that yields damages, and the only one that produces a reasoned judgment capable of being cited in later cases. An order to stop the infringement and damages are both available, at the cost of a longer timeline.
Criminal complaints. For counterfeiting that meets the threshold for prosecution. The strongest deterrent of the five.
Customs border enforcement. For the import and export stage; customs IP recordal has to be in place first.
Online platform complaints. For high-volume online infringement, and the fastest of the five.
Match the route to the objective. To clear the market quickly, run administrative action and platform complaints together. To obtain damages and a citable judgment, litigate. To reach the source of large-scale counterfeiting, go criminal. To cut off exports, use customs. For most cases the best answer is a combination running in parallel, supported by cease-and-desist letters and field investigation — and evidence should be secured before any route is started.
