USA-IT partner Philip Morris International and County Attorney for Maricopa County Rachel Mitchell pen a joint op-ed on the important role public-private partnerships play in combating illegal trade.

“Working with United to Safeguard America from Illegal Trade, also known as USA-IT, has allowed Arizona and Maricopa County to better understand national trends and provide critical information to business owners, policy makers, and community leaders about how to best protect our community.”

“We are proud to partner with USA-IT and their efforts to create national partnerships between public and private sectors to address this critical issue. Combining the expertise of more than 85 organizations, they are leading the way to protect retail business across the country.”

“Counterfeiting, organized retail crime, and illicit trade are a real and growing threat to Arizona businesses, Arizona taxpayers and Arizona families. Solid relationships between community partners – business leaders, trade alliances, law enforcement, and prosecutors – are our best bet for creating strong policies and taking strong action to crack down on and punish the perpetrators of these crimes.”

Read more here.