KINGSTON, Jamaica — Head of the Counter-Terrorism and Organised Crime Branch (C-TOC),  Assistant Commissioner of Police (ACP) Fitz Bailey says Jamaica’s legal framework needs to be modernised to better combat acts of counterfeiting and piracy.

ACP Bailey, who was speaking Wednesday at a press briefing held at C-TOC’s Ocean Boulevard office in Kingston,  argued that the legal framework will have to be put in place to take away the profits generated by counterfeiters and pirates, and to compensate for the damage done to legitimate rights holders.

“In short, the legal framework has to be strengthened to reflect modern times,” he said.

Bailey also noted that one of C-TOC’s mandates is to ensure that intellectual property rights throughout Jamaica are protected.

“Those who carry out the act of counterfeiting and piracy are doing so on an industrial scale and acting like professionals.

“This is a worrying development that requires an immediate concerted, comprehensive joint response from stakeholders and authorities at the national and international levels,” he said.

On Wednesday, C-TOC destroyed goods valued at $1.2 billion during its annual ‘Destruction Day’ exercise.

The goods included boxes of rum, shoes, handbags, toothpaste and baby formula.