Intellectual Property (IP) crime is committed when someone uses an intellectual property right without the authorisation of its owner. Counterfeiting and piracy are terms used to describe a range of illicit activities related to Intellectual Property Rights (IPR) infringement. Most counterfeit goods infringe a trademark, which means that a good is produced without the authorisation of its rights holder. Piracy refers to the illegal use of literary and artistic works protected by copyrights.
Organised Crime Groups (OCGs) are increasingly involved in the violation of IPR.