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IMPI Fines Mixup and Orders Halt to Unauthorized Nuclear Blast CDs

The federal IP agency found industrial‑quality discs made in Mexico linked to Scarecrow Records with operators named in the probe.

Overview

  • IMPI issued a final administrative resolution that levied a penalty equal to 5,000 UMAs against Promotora Musical S.A. de C.V., the operator of Mixup, and ordered the immediate cessation of sales for the specific titles cited in the case.
  • The case began with a formal complaint from Nuclear Blast and the investigative record shows purchases, sales tickets, inventories, and photos that tied manufactured fonograms to Scarecrow Records and identified operators linked to distribution.
  • Authorities found discs with industrial printing, barcodes, booklets, and professional packaging that made the products look indistinguishable from legitimate European editions, which concealed lack of valid authorization from rights holders.
  • The ruling raises consumer and industry concerns because collectors paid import prices for locally made copies, artists and labels may have lost royalty control, and retailers face reputational risk from third‑party supply chains.
  • Mixup has not issued a public response and the decision highlights wider enforcement questions in Mexico about how distributors and alternate imprints can be used to continue sales after licenses expire.