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German Customs Agents Raid Another Trade Show

JagsLive tips the news that German customs agents have shown up in force to raid the IFA consumer electronics show in Berlin. (The last time we discussed news like this was during CeBIT, in Hanover, last March.) 220 customs agents seized electronic gear from 69 different booths at IFA. The Register reports that this raid, like the one last spring, was touched off after complaints by patent firm Sisvel. "They seized equipment which will now be checked for evidence of patent breaches. A spokesman for German Customs told us: 'We've raided 69 companies today. We have seized equipment including flat-screen TVs, CD players, set-top boxes and MP3 players.'"

16 of 139 comments (clear)

  1. Celebration. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    "They seized equipment which will now be checked for evidence of patent breaches. A spokesman for German Customs told us: 'We've raided 69 companies today. We have seized equipment including flat-screen TVs, CD players, set-top boxes and MP3 players.'"

    Now all they need is lots of beer and an upcoming holiday.

  2. Re:What about if they're found innocent? by Mipsalawishus · · Score: 5, Funny

    Maybe Sisvel has a patent on electricity.

  3. World Cup by bill_mcgonigle · · Score: 2, Funny

    flat-screen TVs, CD players, set-top boxes and MP3 players

    In other news, a world cup qualifier game has just been rescheduled for Mainz, Germany. No doubt the stolen gear will require further examination.

    --
    My God, it's Full of Source!
    OUTSIDE_IP=$(dig +short my.ip @outsideip.net)
  4. Re:I'm glad that the agents were armed... by ksd1337 · · Score: 3, Funny

    No, that will get seized too, because someone has a patent on it.

  5. Re:What about if they're found innocent? by Daimanta · · Score: 2, Funny

    That's absurd! If that were the case the police would be at my doorstep in an instant.

    Oh, wait a sec, the doorbell's ringing.

    --
    Knowledge is power. Knowledge shared is power lost.
  6. German Craigslist Ad by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Funny

    Cutting edge electronics, cheap! Look for van parked behind Customs Office. Prices marked on the bottom side of evidence tags. This sale comes around only once a year so don't miss out!

  7. Re:Just Germans being Germans by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    Isn't it kept on the books and still enforced (against mostly Turks and other minorities running little stores in minority neighborhoods) simply because it is the German Law and German Law must be obeyed regardless of how mean and stupid and senseless it is?

    Yes, there is a fixed price on (new) books. But it has absolutely nothing to do with minorities. The fixed price was introduced to protect small bookstores/coffeshops, some of which also promoted local literature and culture against soulless discounters/pricedumpers like walmart. That worked actually pretty well until internet bookstore like amazon came up.

    tl;dr: Godwins law - you lost.

  8. This aphorism comes to mind: by Anik315 · · Score: 5, Funny

    "Heaven is where the Police are British, the Chefs are French, the Mechanics are German, the Lovers Italian and it's all organised by the Swiss. Hell is where the Chefs are British, the mechanics are French, the lovers are Swiss, the Police are German and it's all organised by the Italians."

    1. Re:This aphorism comes to mind: by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

      Hell is where the Chefs are American, the mechanics are American, the lovers are American, the Police are American and it's all organised by the Americans."

      (Score:-1, Troll)

    2. Re:This aphorism comes to mind: by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

      Canada had the opportunity to take the best of many nations: French food, British culture and American entertainment.

      Instead, they wound up with British food, American culture, and French entertainment.

  9. Re:Just Germans being Germans by Lars+T. · · Score: 2, Funny

    Well, the good thing is that the price binding doesn't exist for foreign books - that's why they can be sold as cheap as the store owner wants - which seems to be about four times sticker price. Yeah, Capitalism - it obviously works.

    --

    Lars T.

    To the guy who modded me down from perfect to terrible Karma - Apple haters still suck

  10. Re:The burden of proof? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0, Funny

    In other words, all you did was look at their home page, and surf back here to troll?

  11. Re:Just Germans being Germans by jaxtherat · · Score: 3, Funny

    so it seems Hitler had some time travellers to aid in his fight against the jews leaving the country.

    Oblig:

    http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0057701/

    --
    http://www.zombieapocalypse.tv/
  12. Re:Pfft. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

    Nothing wrong with employees working booths at trade shows being terrorized by armed thugs?

    Huh, that's exactly the way I feel every time I go through US customs.

  13. Re:Just Germans being Germans by Ihmhi · · Score: 3, Funny

    6-hit Internet pwnage combo with a roman cancel. GG

  14. Re:What about if they're found innocent? by lysergic.acid · · Score: 2, Funny

    good thing all my household appliances run on prayers.