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Bluebird, a fake Bluetooth factory, gets raided by SIG force

The problem of finding "Bluetooth" devices in shops which turn out not to be genuine was highlighted a couple of years ago, by Ezurio (then TDK) - but the Bluetooth SIG has decided that "pressure on retailers" isn't enough.

In a daring commando raid, the Special Interest Group has struck direct at a factory.

"The Bluetooth Special Interest Group (SIG) announced a successful raid against a factory in Shenzhen suspected of infringing upon the Bluetooth SIG's registered trademarks by manufacturing Bluetooth products bearing the Bluetooth trademark and logo without the authority of the mark owner, Bluetooth SIG, and without going through the Bluetooth Qualification Program," the SIG announced.

OK, it wasn't the SIG that did it. There were no "Blue Hit Men" sliding down ninja wires or flinging shuriken stars into the board-room. And the video is actually a promotion by the SIG for "Bluetooth Transfer Month" apparently. (MobilitySite says it is "cool" and "short" - thus demonstrating that they aren't film critics).

But it was done "with full support of the mainland Chinese government authorities from Shenzhen," and the actual raid was "jointly conducted by the Shenzhen City Economic Crime Investigation Department of the Public Security Bureau (PSB) and the Administration of Industries and Commerce (AIC) of Shenzhen."

And the SIG seems pleased with the result: "Over 20,000 pieces of finished and semi-goods comprising of headsets with Bluetooth technology, user manuals, packaging, printed boxes and components were seized from the manufacturing facility of Shenzhen Bluebird Hi-Tech. Co. Ltd., the company under investigation for the manufacturing and assembling of unqualified products infringing upon the trademarks."

There's a complete announcement on the SIG web site.