Intelligence in the Commercial Space

Bob Scott [IntraOrbis]

Abstract: 

In 2023, I presented at the conference in Coventry asking, “Is it time to rethink your counterfeit approach?" and the response I got was that it’s the manufacturer's responsibility.

My presentation was well received, with the main comment being that the audience needed more discussion. Much has changed globally since the Pandemic with ongoing wars and heightened tensions between China and Taiwan. There are threats of recession, instability in the financial sector, shortage of electronic components for a dwindling munitions industry, and so on.

Making it a perfect storm for counterfeiters to profit and proliferate. According to Forbes recently, the annual sales of counterfeit products range from $1.7 trillion to a staggering $4.5 trillion, making counterfeiting a self-sustaining economy.

To put this into perspective, if counterfeiting were a country, it would be the tenth-largest global economy.

I said during the event that your industry's focus on counterfeit avoidance is failing, and some attendees replied that the responsibility lies with the manufacturer, not your sector. Yet your sector actually sees counterfeit and handles information about those who are involved in the supply chain. But what happens to these pieces of information? Government agencies work hard to support all industries fighting counterfeit. They have finite resources and other sectors take the responsibility to collect, analyze, and action the strands of intelligence they obtain to create actionable intelligence.

I believe you could be doing more with the many strands of intelligence you receive, either accepting the status quo or expecting the enforcement agencies to do the heavy lifting.

My presentation this year is, “Intelligence in the Commercial Space?

Last time, we didn’t have enough time to discuss, so this year, almost all my time will be spent on discussion.

No death by PowerPoint, just good old-fashioned discussion and debate.

Biography: 

Founder and CEO of IntraOrbis, with over 50 years of continuous investigative experience, a successful entrepreneur, innovator, leader, mentor, and highly experienced investigations manager and practitioner. During his 30-year law enforcement career as a specialist Detective, he was regarded as a national expert on undercover and deep infiltration techniques deployed worldwide against some of the most active crime families. He was commended 22 times by High Court Judges, Chief Constables, and the Provost Marshal commanding the Royal Military Police of the British Army. For over 19 years, Bob has been the driving force behind the success of IntraOrbis, receiving industry awards for an outstanding contribution to counterfeit investigations and patient safety. IntraOrbis are specialists in anticounterfeiting and grey market investigations. Bob has overseen consistent growth in IntraOrbis, providing quality ‘people-orientated’ investigative services that are firmly aligned with the principles of honesty, integrity, and hard work.