Tequila Distillery Reopens After Unwarranted Police Raid

CITY OF INDUSTRY, Calif., May 8, 2015 /PRNewswire/ -- The following is a statement by Iconic Brands in response to the press release issued by Worldwide Beverage Imports on April 29, 2015: 

After an unwarranted raid by Mexican authorities, which led to a temporary closure of Destiladora Del Valle de Tequila, S.A. de C.V. (NOM 1438, DOT 152) ("DVT") the Mexican Institute of Industrial Property (the Mexican trademark authority) ordered the distillery to be reopened. DVT has been wrongfully targeted by Fábrica de Tequilas Finos, S.A. de C.V. (FINOS), owned by Luz Maria Cabo, and Worldwide Beverage Imports, LLC, an import company located in Los Angeles, CA, owned by Richard Cabo the nephew of Luz Maria Cabo, collectively the "Cabo Entities," which have been involved in the manufacturing and importing of Kah Tequila.

DVT's involvement with Iconic Brands is that it produces and bottles Iconic's Sangre de Vida and Apocalypto Tequilas. Iconic believes this action against DVT is part of a widespread campaign to mislead and misrepresent the true ownership rights of the "skull shaped bottle." The Cabo Entities resorted to retaliation tactics in response to the copyright infringement lawsuit filed by Kim Brandi against FINOS and for terminating Worldwide Beverage Imports, LLC as the importer of Kah tequila.

President and founder of Iconic Brands Thomas Parker adds: "Destiladora Del Valle is innocent in all of this and is simply under contract to bottle Iconic Brands' award-winning tequilas, including the Sangre de Vida and Apocalypto brands. It's very unfortunate that the distillery was dragged into any of this, especially since the courts decided in Iconic's favor concerning the injunction against Fábrica de Tequilas Finos last month (over 4,000 Kah Tequila bottles, the infringing brand, have been seized). That being said, I am happy that justice has been served and the doors are open -- now, we can focus on what really matters: the tequila." 

In regards to the copyright infringement, several actions are pending before the Mexican and U.S. courts over the artwork and sculptural works "Spider Calavera" VA-1-787-771, the artwork and sculptural works "Muertos Calavera" VA-1-787-767, the artwork "DOD Logos" VA-1-787-670, the artwork and sculptural works "Diablo" VA-1-793-491, the sculptural works "Calavera Prototype" VA-1-079-114, the plastic work "SANGRE DE VIDA," 03-2014-031412090200-01; the artwork "SANGRE DE VIDA," 03-2014-031412460500-14; the sculptural work "CALAVERA," 03-2014-031412501800-01; the artwork "SPIDER CALAVERA", 03-2014-031412552300-01; the plastic work "DIABLO", 03-2014-031412584700-01"; the plastic work "MUERTOS CALAVERA," 03-2014-031412042800-01; and the plastic work "SPIDER CALAVERA," 03-2014-031413185600-01. Actions by Kim Brandi against Fabrica de Tequila Finos were also taken at both the manufacturing and distillery level in Mexico. Actions by Iconic Brands, Inc. and Kim Brandi have been taken against Element's Spirits, Worldwide Beverage Imports, LLC, Aveniu Brands, Inc. and Wine Warehouse in the United States Case No. 2:15-cv-02692-DDP-AGR.

For more information:
Kim Brandi, CEO
909-333-4482

SOURCE Iconic Brands, Inc.

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