Yekaterinburg Customs will institute criminal proceedings against OOO U. that was allegedly using Louis Vuitton Malletier and Christian Dior Couture trademarks illegitimately. The charges are based on Article 180 of the Russian Federation Criminal Code, the Ural Customs Administration’s press service reports.

In fact, OOO U. was already involved in an administrative offense suit in October 2010, with charges based on Article 14.10 of the Russian Federation Administrative Offense Code. The importer was accused of abusing Mercedes-Benz trademark while trying to get 1,083 pairs of jeans across the Russian border. Customs officers also detected that the company had been illegitimately using some other famous brand names. For one, some of the imported articles included men’s socks bearing inscriptions like BOSS and BOCS and men’s jeans bearing Louis Vuitton Malletier trademark.

The representatives of Louis Vuitton Malletier and BOSS trademarks owners estimated the damage done to the brand by OOO U. at 162,300 RUR and 577,900 RUR, respectively. Their applications were used by Yekaterinburg Customs to take legal action. OOO U. is now involved in two administrative lawsuits, with charges based on Article 14.10 of the Russian Federation Administrative Offense Code.

‘What is more, the customs search revealed that the pairs of jeans imported by OOO U.2 had Dior signs on them, which is an infringement upon France’s Christian Dior Couture intellectual property and trademark. Shevyrev & Partners, a Moscow-based law office which acts as the trademark owner’s official representative, said they intended to prosecute the offenders. The damage was estimated at 6,324,000 RUR,’ the Customs press service reports.