Cuban Merch Illegal?

[Wharf Rat]

Originally Posted by mykeuva

Most of the Cuban brands lost US copyrights to either people that left cuba, or to companies in the US looking to get rights in the name. Every time Cuban companies have tried to challenge their copyrights in US courts post Castro, they have lost to noncuban copyright holders.

That's why you see a Cohiba from the DR, as well as a Cohiba from Cuba. The Cohiba from the DR isn't infringing on a copyright in the US if they make cigars, ashtrays with logos, TShirts with logos, etc., b/c they're the ones who actually hold the US copyright (I believe it's General Cigar that owns it), and not the Cuban company.

The interesting thing is that Altadis owns some of the Trademarks like Montecristo in the free world and also owns a large stake in the Cuban cigar industry. So, they're on both sides.