Fashion counterfeits worth many millions seized
In 2024, the European Anti-Fraud Office (OLAF) launched a comprehensive investigation into the smuggling of high-quality counterfeit fashion items into the European Union. As European investigators reported in May, more than 1.8 million counterfeit items of clothing, shoes, and accessories have already been seized so far as part of this coordinated operation. The estimated market value of the seized goods is estimated at over 180 million euros.
According to the authorities, the counterfeit goods were to be smuggled into the EU via various ports. The counterfeiters had also attempted to conceal the fake goods within containers behind legitimately declared textiles to evade customs checks. Some of the counterfeits were so professionally made that even experts commissioned by the brands concerned had acknowledged their deceptive quality.
A particularly noteworthy seizure was made at the port of Trieste, where Italian customs and tax authorities, with the support of OLAF, intercepted almost one million counterfeit items. The shipment had previously been dispatched from the port of Ambarlı in Turkey and was bound for the Netherlands.
Next to Italy, other seizures were made in Austria, Belgium, and Germany, as well as in non-EU countries. Investigations into the supply chains involved are still ongoing, with the aim of combatting trademark infringements and dismantling counterfeiting networks.
The fashion industry is one of the economic sectors particularly affected by counterfeiting. According to a study published in January 2024 by the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO), counterfeiting costs manufacturers in the clothing industry around 12 billion euros annually.
Sources:
OLAF | Article in co-operation with Anti-Piracy Analyst
