According to Northern California Record, Global Merchandising Services, petitioned the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of California to order local law enforcement to prevent vendors from selling bootleg SLAYER merchandise during the band's final North American tour, now underway.

 

The legal basis for Global Merchandising's suit is trademark infringement and unfair competition by "numerous independent unlicensed peddlers and manufacturing and distributing companies."

 

Northern California Record reported the following:

 

The suit asked the court to order U.S. marshals and state, county and/or local law enforcement "to seize and impound any and all of the merchandise."

 

The defendants were, according to the complaint, going "to sell or hold for sale outside of and within the confines of the concert halls at which SLAYER is performing before, during or after SLAYER concert performances."

 

The suit said Global Merchandising has the exclusive right to market SLAYER merchandise, including clothing, jewelry, photographs and posters.

 

The complainants allege that to date, "more than $25 million worth of licensed merchandise bearing the Slayer name, trademark, logos and/or likenesses have been sold" and the bootleggers' "unlawful activity results in irreparable harm and injury to plaintiff."