A court has ordered the destruction of 10,080 pairs of sports shoes after finding that they were counterfeit and violated the trademark owner's rights.

Mr Justice Raymond C Pace delivered the judgment following an application filed by Nike International Ltd against Italian company Self Vallescrivia SRL.

Nike told the court that it ws the owner of the trademark "Nike" and of the distinctive mark "Swoosh Design" which were used on sportswear.

In February 2008 a vessel had entered Malta carrying a consignment of 10,080 pairs of sports shoes bearing s Nike label. But Nike claimed that the shoes were counterfeit and that this was in violation of its rights as a trademark owner.

The court found in favour of Nike and declared that its proprietory rights had been violated. The Controller of Customs was ordered to destroy the shoes within three months.

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