NEW YORK — North Atlantic Trading Co. Inc.’s (NATC) attorneys at Venable LLP, led by Marcella Ballard of the firm’s New York office, have successfully executed seizure orders on merchants and wholesalers found to be selling counterfeit Zig-Zag cigarette paper products.

The seizure orders are part of North Atlantic’s strategy of zero tolerance against counterfeit goods imported into the United States.

“North Atlantic takes intellectual property infringement seriously and will prosecute known violators to the fullest extent of the law,” said Ballard, an intellectual-property partner and member of the firm’s brand protection group. “We have obtained three successful ex parte seizure orders to conduct successful raids on counterfeiters over the past year and will continue to actively enforce anti-counterfeiting measures against any and all violators.”

Ballard’s and NATC’s efforts against counterfeit Zig-Zag products have in the past resulted in the seizure of businesses, significant multi-million dollar judgments and criminal liability with federal prison sentences and deportation.

Zig-Zag cigarette paper products are a popular brand of rolling papers that originated in France. The papers, which come in five sizes, are made largely from flax and use natural gum Arabic. They are imported and distributed in the United States and Canada by Louisville, Ky.-based North Atlantic Trading.

Venable LLP is based in Washington, D.C.