France: Customs seize 20,000 counterfeit perfumes
On 15 May, customs officials uncovered around 10,000 flacons of counterfeit perfume in the port of Calais in northern France. The officials found the illegal perfumes during an export inspection of a delivery van that, according to export documents, was supposed to transport goods from Poland to the United Kingdom. The fake products, which stood out due to their non-standard packaging and unusual sizes, bore several well-known brand names, such as Armani, Dior, YSL, Prada, and Chanel.
The very next day, approximately 9,200 further counterfeit perfumes were seized in Garges Les Gonesse, north of Paris. Customs officials from Aulnay-sous-Bois and Marne-la-Vallée authorities had identified the illegal goods during checks at two warehouses. The counterfeit goods, which originated from Bulgaria, were apparently intended for sale in the Île-de-France region of France. The poor quality of the counterfeits, which had a chemical smell, also indicates a potential health risk for consumers.
Customs authorities in France see these incidents as part of an alarming trend: In 2024, over 2.1 million counterfeit perfumes were seized, more than three times as many as in the previous year and twenty times as many as in 2020. The trade in counterfeit goods is also seen to be often linked to other criminal activities, such as drug trafficking.
Sources:
Douane Française | Article in co-operation with Anti-Piracy Analyst
